Blue Star
Five years later, the vast and endless icy plains stretched out in every direction. In the midst of this frozen wilderness, a solitary figure sat cross-legged, his body motionless as if he were part of the landscape itself.
Suddenly, boundless red clouds surged from within him, sweeping out in all directions. The crimson clouds thickened, shrouding everything in their dense, oppressive embrace, making it impossible to discern anything within. Not even the spiritual sense of Nascent Soul cultivators could penetrate the swirling red mist.
More astonishing was the fact that within these clouds seemed to be countless terrifying spirits and monsters, each more fearsome than the last. As the red clouds passed, the blood within the bodies of all the wild beasts they encountered was swiftly drained, leaving behind only the haunting sight of desiccated corpses.
This figure, of course, was Chu Xuan. Sitting at the very center of the infinite red clouds, he did not move an inch. With just a flicker of his mind, the clouds coalesced into various shapes—at times transforming into massive shields, or condensing into weapons like blades and spears. At other moments, they scattered into a sky full of flying swords, or formed into grotesque skulls.
Chu Xuan exhaled softly and spoke a single word, "Reap". Instantly, the vast red clouds turned and returned from every direction, converging back into his palm. He smiled as he held a small, blood-colored flask in his hands.
"Not bad. This Blood Demon Flask is truly powerful. Since I successfully forged it, and it's still a low-grade magic treasure, it already possesses such formidable capabilities. If it were to be upgraded step by step into a top-tier magic treasure, accumulating more blood clouds, wouldn't it be capable of enveloping the entire area in boundless blood mist, obliterating countless enemies in the blink of an eye?"
Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, flipping his palm. The blood-colored flask returned to the spiritual sea within his dantian, where it was carefully nurtured. With his inner vision, he could see the Nascent Soul figure sitting above his spiritual sea, its essence radiating intense Nascent Soul energy. Beneath the small figure floated a Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus, spinning gently.
The Nascent Soul figure exuded a strong aura, and several magic treasures floated nearby, slowly absorbing the Qi. Evil Soul Chain, Blood Beehive, Sky-Shielding Umbrella, and the Blood Demon Flask—all were his natal magic treasures. It was precisely because these treasures were his natal treasures that he could store them in his dantian, where they would be nourished by the infant's energy at all times.
When he had first forged the Blood Demon Flask, it was only a magic tool, a mere step above an ordinary item. However, after absorbing the energy of the infant's aura for a month, it was upgraded to a low-grade magic treasure. If he continued to absorb vast amounts of blood energy and infant's aura, the path to further upgrading would be smooth and unhindered.
The Blood Demon Flask was the very foundation of the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art". For any member of the Heavenly Blood Alliance who practiced the blood path techniques, it was almost a requirement to cultivate the Blood Demon Flask into their natal magic treasure. This treasure contained blood clouds, which were essential for using the majority of the techniques from the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art".
Having previously cultivated the "Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll", Chu Xuan had a solid foundation in his cultivation. Now, combining that knowledge with this new method, his progress was rapid. In just five years, he had reached the fourth level of the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art", mastering four new spells.
The most impressive of these was the "Blood Light Escape" technique, which allowed him to use blood clouds to instantly escape without needing spiritual Qi. It was unbelievably fast. No wonder the Heavenly Blood Alliance could become one of the most powerful five-level cultivation sects under the banner of Heaven Shaking Divine Sect.
Even though Chu Xuan had only reached the fourth level, he had already come into contact with many of the scripture's mysteries. The future promised even more profound insights to be uncovered.
Amidst his joy, Chu Xuan focused his mind and summoned the Evil Soul Chain. Now, the chain radiated with a faint black glow, its hardness almost beyond compare. The faint sound of a flood dragon could even be heard emanating from it. Unfortunately, after refining the Black Flood Dragon Horn into it, the chain had not advanced into a top-tier magic treasure. It still seemed to be lacking just a bit to reach that level.
"Now, I've accumulated quite a few human skins. I could try crafting some magic symbols as a test. Perhaps I'm a genius when it comes to the Dao of Talismans after all."
Unable to resist, Chu Xuan used the Myriad Realm Mirror to return to the Water Curtain Cave. Over the five years, whenever the human skin zombies matured, the corpse puppets would harvest and dry them. These were then stored in the storage room of the Water Curtain Cave.
During this time, Chu Xuan had been focused on cultivating the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art, and had not paid attention to this matter. But now, when he went to the storage room, he was immediately delighted to find over ten thousand sheets of human skin!
That was more than enough—far more than enough! He took a golden wolf-hair pen from his storage bag and, following the records in the Demonic Talisman Sutra, began to copy the symbols. Demonic Talismans started at the Foundation Establishment stage. There were no talismans for the Qi Refining stage.
Therefore, the first talisman he attempted to draw was a Foundation Establishment stage "Corpse Qi Talisman". This talisman sealed corpse qi, and when cast, it would unleash a wave of corpse qi that could directly strike vital organs.
Chu Xuan took the pen and began to draw.
Slap! Failure.
Slap! Failure again.
He attempted over a dozen times, but each time, he failed.
After taking a deep breath, Chu Xuan stomped his foot.
Voom!
A four-layered Merit Gold Wheel appeared behind his head.
The obscure and indecipherable golden text that covered the wheel spun slowly, filling the cave with a serene and peaceful light, even turning the gloomy surroundings into a rare, tranquil paradise.
Whoosh!
In an instant, his brushstroke completed the talisman.
The Foundation Establishment stage "Corpse Qi Talisman" was successfully created!
Looking at the Corpse Qi Talisman, Chu Xuan smiled in satisfaction.
"Good, good, good! I knew it—I truly am a genius in the Dao of Talismans!"
Chu Xuan continued to immerse himself in crafting more talismans. Foundation Establishment stage, Golden Core stage... Beneath the brilliant golden light of the Merit Gold Wheel, his mastery of the talisman art might not have increased, but his success rate in crafting them was certainly high.
Another year passed.
Chu Xuan walked out of the cave, holding a blank Nascent Soul stage Soul Sealing Talisman in his hand, a pleased smile on his face. If he could capture the soul of a demonic beast and seal it in this talisman, it would transform into a Beast Soul Talisman. Of course, sealing a cultivator's soul wasn't out of the question either.
"Compared to the crafty and vicious demonic beasts, a cultivator's soul might be even better. I wonder which fellow daoist would be willing to contribute to the development of my talisman art?"
He chuckled, feeling eager with anticipation. Chu Xuan then stepped forward, heading back to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.
Cold Iron Wood Forest.
Qiu Wan Hong stood with a calm expression, pacing back and forth. Not long after, Long Hao led Shang Xuanhe of the Feiry Sky Cloud Tower and Xiao Xian of the Red Flame Pavilion to her side. The three cupped their hands in greeting and sat down, with Qiu Wan Hong taking the seat of honor as the host, while Shang Xuanhe and Xiao Xian sat on either side.
A smile spread across Qiu Wan Hong's face. "Fellow daoist Xiao, it's been a long time. I trust all is well?"
Xiao Xian gave a wry smile. "By luck, I survived. Fellow daoist Qiu is fortunate, indeed. This Cold Iron Wood Forest truly has an abundance of Spiritual Qi." He couldn't help but take a deep breath, a glimmer of barely perceptible greed flashing in his eyes. If only this place were his own.
Qiu Wan Hong's voice turned serious. "I've heard that there has been a major incident in Heaven-Six City?"
Xiao Xian nodded gravely. "Yes, strange tree roots have appeared in Heaven-Six City, and many corpse puppets have been controlled by these roots. Our strength was insufficient, and we had no choice but to withdraw from the city. Bai Cangsong, fellow daoist Bai from Fiery Sky Cloud Tower, was killed by the siege of those corpse beasts. I could not get there in time. I had to watch him perish before my eyes... Alas..."
Shang Xuanhe's face twitched. He had been close friends with Bai Cangsong for many years, both being disciples of Fiery Sky Cloud Tower. He hadn't expected Bai Cangsong to die so easily.
Qiu Wan Hong spoke again, her voice low and measured. "Does fellow daoist Xiao have a place to go now?"
Xiao Xian gave a bitter smile. "No. Nearly all the nearby strongholds have been taken over. Heaven-Three City is also under the control of corpse puppets. I truly don't know where to go, which is why I've come to temporarily seek refuge with you, fellow daoist Qiu."
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Shang Xuanhe let out a soft sigh. "Living in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield has become increasingly difficult. It's hard to find any other strongholds around here. The medium spiritual stone mine I'm staying at is still holding up, but it's barely manageable. If fellow daoist Xiao doesn't mind, you can bring your junior brother here to stay for a while. Or, you can stay with fellow daoist Qiu here. Once we find another stronghold or discover a new spiritual stone vein, we can move again."
Qiu Wanhong nodded. "My Cold Ironwood Forest is vast. I can accommodate two more people. But, over time, the Spiritual Qi will gradually deplete."
Xiao Xian looked touched. "Thank you, fellow daoist Shang, and thank you, fellow daoist Qiu!" He understood that Qiu Wanhong's words hinted that the forest was becoming crowded and the Spiritual Qi was running low.
Qiu Wanhong's eyes glinted as she spoke again. "Fellow daoist Xiao, I do know of a good place."
Xiao Xian nodded, "Please, fellow daoist Qiu, do tell."
Qiu Wanhong gestured to the south. "Outside Heaven-Three City, there is a great spiritual stone mine, but it is now occupied by the Heavenly Infinite Sect's demonic cultivator, Chu Xuan. This person killed Song Lingfeng, fellow daoist Song of Red Flame Pavilion, and then took control of the great spiritual stone mine. We have the heart to remove the enemy, but lack the strength to do so. If fellow daoist Xiao is willing to join us and eliminate this demonic cultivator, we can take control of the mine together. The spiritual stones will be divided evenly among us."
Xiao Xian suddenly stood up, his face full of fury. "What?! Senior Brother Song was killed by that demonic cultivator?! This grudge cannot go unpunished! I, Xiao Xian, swear that if I do not kill Chu Xuan, I will not be human!" He clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot, as if he could tear Chu Xuan apart with his bare hands.
Shang Xuanhe coughed lightly, drawing their attention. "Fellow Daoist Qiu, I never said anything about attacking the great spiritual stone mine."
Qiu Wanhong immediately furrowed her brows. "Why? This is a demonic cultivator, and such people must be eradicated! Moreover, I have gathered information that Chu Xuan is the only one there. The other two members of the Heavenly Infinite Sect, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, have taken control of another medium spiritual stone mine. There must be some discord among these three, which is why they are not working together. If we attack Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji are highly unlikely to come to his aid."
Shang Xuanhe shook his head. "Right now, we should focus on addressing the issue of the declining Spiritual Qi in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, and find a way to reverse it. Though orthodox and demonic cultivators stand opposed, we must still make use of their strength. Endless fighting—what good does it do?"
Qiu Wanhong sneered. "If you don't kill him, he will kill you!"
Shang Xuanhe sighed deeply. "Fellow Daoist Qiu, fellow daoist Xiao, I shall take my leave." He slowly rose and flicked his sleeves as he turned to leave, clearly feeling that there was no point in continuing the conversation.
Qiu Wanhong watched his retreating figure, then snorted coldly. Turning back to Xiao Xian, her expression softened again, becoming friendly and warm.
Qiu Wanhong smiled faintly. "I can provide fellow daoist Xiao with an early-stage Nascent Soul puppet beast. You can go and probe Chu Xuan's strength first. Once we know more, we can decide on our next move."
Xiao Xian subtly glanced at the departing Shang Xuanhe, seemingly deep in thought. "Alright, then I and my junior brother will stay with fellow daoist Qiu for a few days to rest and recover. Once our injuries are healed, we will go and test Chu Xuan's strength."
Qiu Wanhong nodded with a smile. "Good!"
Meanwhile, Shang Xuanhe stepped out of the Cold Ironwood Forest. Kang Jia was waiting for him outside. He asked, "Senior Brother, how did it go?"
Shang Xuanhe shook his head. "Qiu Wanhong plans to join forces with us to attack the great spirit stone mine and eliminate Chu Xuan of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. You've met Dong Qi that day, right? He's extremely powerful. Chu Xuan was able to kill Song Lingfeng, drive back Dong Qi of the Falling Sun Demon Fortress, and Su Jue of the Corpse God Palace. He is no ordinary opponent. We should not get involved in this mess. Our priority is to find the source of the disappearing Spiritual Qi."
Kang Jia nodded repeatedly. That day, he had spoken with Dong Qi from the Falling Sun Demon Fortress for only a few moments, but he could already sense that the man was unfathomable. It was better to have him as a friend than an enemy. With Shang Xuanhe now deciding against getting involved, Kang Jia's mind, which had been hanging by a thread, finally relaxed. Suddenly, he thought of another possibility and couldn't help but ask, "But what if Chu Xuan is not a match for fellow daoist Qiu and fellow daoist Xiao?"
Shang Xuanhe stroked his beard and spoke with righteous conviction. "Then we shall eliminate the demon and defend the way! How can the great spirit stone mine be occupied by demonic cultivators? That is a wanton waste!"
Kang Jia clicked his tongue.
'Senior Brother is so pragmatic. Truly, he is an old monster who has lived for over 800 years. I still have much to learn before I can master the art of seamless face-changing like Senior Brother.'
Chu Xuan gazed at the roots of the trees that nearly enveloped the entire small hill, shaking his head in frustration. This place was the location of an array set up by the Reincarnation Divine Sect. The specific coordinates were information Chu Xuan had received from Shang Xingchen. After all, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was vast, and it was impossible to search for such a place like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Chu Xuan's approach was direct. Since it was the arrays scattered across the Heavenly Metal Battlefield that had caused the Spiritual Qi here to dissipate, wouldn't destroying these arrays change the situation? He had previously tried to approach the array location outside Heaven-Six City, but there were more than a dozen Nascent Soul-level puppet beasts guarding the area.
Moreover, it seemed that numerous Nascent Soul-level killing and illusionary arrays had been set up around the place. It was simply impossible to approach. He had no choice but to retreat. This seemed entirely reasonable. The Reincarnation Divine Sect had gone to great lengths to set up these arrays—how could they allow anyone to easily destroy them?
Chu Xuan had only reappeared now, estimating that the strength of others had likely decreased to some extent by this point. Yet, he still maintained the strength of the eighth level of Nascent Soul, allowing him to strike with a crushing force. This was why he had come to take a look.
However, now it seemed there was no way forward. The array here had already been completely enveloped by roots. There wasn't even a tiny gap left. He had tried earlier, but it was impossibly hard.
Nascent Soul-level spells couldn't leave a single trace on the surface. It was likely that only someone with the power of Deity Transformation could damage the outer layer of the tree roots. But that would consume a huge amount of Spiritual Qi.
Within the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, there were only two Deity Transformation cultivators: Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi Daoist. Convincing them to take such a self-sacrificial action would likely be almost impossible.
Chu Xuan shook his head and turned to return to the great spirit stone mine. Since this array was like this, others must be the same. If destroying the arrays was impossible, he could only temporarily maintain the status quo.
"Hm? Something's happening?"
Chu Xuan picked up the Heart-Linking Stone hanging from his waist and noticed a new mark had appeared on it. He immediately headed to the agreed-upon location. Soon, he spotted Shang Xingchen standing at the designated spot from a distance. However, he didn't approach immediately. Instead, he waited for quite some time.
It wasn't until he used the spiritual sense secret method and confirmed there were no possible ambushes in the area that he finally made his appearance.
The Heart-Linking Stone was his communication method with Shang Xingchen, but it could also be used by Shang Xingchen to set a trap for him. Their cooperation was entirely based on an equal footing of strength.
Though Chu Xuan felt that Shang Xingchen wouldn't turn on him so quickly, it was always wise to remain vigilant.
Shang Xingchen nodded slightly when he saw Chu Xuan approach. "You've arrived?"
Chu Xuan nodded in return. "What's the matter?."
Shang Xingchen spoke in a low voice. "I've received some news. Someone is planning to make a move on you."
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Where did this information come from?"
Shang Xingchen chuckled lightly. "A righteous cultivator intends to join our demonic sect. He's come near Heaven-Three City and has temporarily joined the Cold Ironwood Forest."
Chu Xuan immediately thought of Ximen Changqing.
After all, Ximen Changqing had admitted personally that he had sold the information about Han Yiren, Luo Yan, Yang Feixiong, and others, and the demonic cultivator he had met with was precisely Shang Xingchen.
Shang Xingchen continued, "This righteous cultivator's surname is Ximen, and he, along with Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion, came from Heaven-Six City to Heaven-Three City. Qiu Wanhong has repeatedly incited Xiao Xian to take action against your great spirit stone mine and even gifted him several puppet beasts."
Chu Xuan smiled slightly. "They want Xiao Xian to test my strength, don't they?"
Shang Xingchen smiled in return. "However, Xiao Xian has clearly become quite complacent and is refusing to leave the Cold Ironwood Forest. But Qiu Wanhong's junior brother Long Hao has grown impatient. He managed to get the puppet beasts from Xiao Xian and seems ready to act."
Chu Xuan nodded. "Indeed."
Shang Xingchen smiled. "You are the sect leader of our Heavenly Infinite Sect. If you are attacked, I, as an elder, cannot sit idly by. I will definitely come to your rescue when the time comes!"
Chu Xuan sneered inwardly. "Rescue? You're more likely to just make use of the situation for your own benefit. I don't need to expose you for now."
Shang Xingchen smiled innocently. "By the way, I've managed to acquire a number of evil pills. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chu would be willing to exchange some great spirit stones for them?"
Chu Xuan perked up. "Of course, but I need to know exactly what kind of evil pills they are."
Shang Xingchen casually tapped his storage bag. Three pills flew out, hovering between the two of them.
"Great Soul Spirit Pills, a top-tier Nascent Soul level pill. Made primarily from souls and several other medicinal ingredients, it can enhance the soul. Two great spirit stones per pill."
"Boiling Blood True Pill, a high-grade Nascent Soul pill. It forces the body's vitality and flesh to be converted into Spiritual Qi and can temporarily increase the power of spells. One great spirit stone per pill."
"Focus Spirit Pill, a low-grade Nascent Soul pill. It calms the mind and helps a cultivator to comprehend secret techniques and martial arts. Twenty Medium spirit stones per pill."
Shang Xingchen smiled. "I have a fair amount of these three types of pills, with the Focus Spirit Pill being the most abundant. How many would you like, Fellow Daoist Chu?"
Chu Xuan was immediately intrigued. "Let me try three of each. By the way, do you have the recipe for the Great Soul Spirit Pill?"
Shang Xingchen immediately shook his head. "No, I don't have the recipe. I only happened to find the body of an ancient cultivator, and from that, I managed to obtain a few pills."
Chu Xuan gave a smile that wasn't quite a smile, nodding slightly.
Shang Xingchen looked confused. "Does Fellow Daoist Chu not believe me?"
Chu Xuan nodded. "I believe you, I believe you."
Chu Xuan swept his spiritual sense across the items, counting the spirit stones before casually tossing the storage bag towards Shang Xingchen.
As before, Shang Xingchen did not touch it directly. Instead, he put on a pair of white silk gloves, and only then did he carefully accept the bag. These gloves were custom-made by him, specifically for handling Chu Xuan's items, in case there was any poison or wormcraft hidden within.
"That's all," Chu Xuan waved his hand and turned to leave.
Shang Xingchen stared at his retreating figure and couldn't help but shake his head. "He saw through it after all. Sigh, I'm really lacking in spirit stones, I had no choice but to reveal some of my trump cards. Hopefully, he won't keep fixating on me." Without lingering, he quickly left the area.
On the other side, Chu Xuan stroked his chin, deep in thought. "These three pills are all crucial, especially the Great Soul Spirit Pill. If I can get the formula, with the immense resources of Soul Star, I could mass-produce them. Shang Xingchen is probably in possession of the formula. I'll have to find an opportunity to make him spill the recipe..."
As night fell, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was draped in a heavy silence. The surroundings became eerily quiet, and the cultivators grew even more vigilant. For them, the arrival of night meant one thing: the ancient beasts would soon emerge from their hiding places.
To the ancient beasts, the scent of cultivators was like a glowing beacon in the dark. The more cultivators gathered in one place, the greater the chance of attracting a large number of these creatures. Almost every outpost would suffer from these beasts' attacks, and Chu Xuan's great spirit stone mine, the medium spiritual stone mine, and the metal mines were no exceptions.
However, Chu Xuan had long been prepared. Every outpost had an ample number of corpse puppets and ghosts stationed as guards. Furthermore, the number of ancient beasts attempting to attack his locations was relatively small, so there had never been any major incidents.
Yet, tonight would not be peaceful. Because in addition to over a thousand ancient beasts, three figures were quietly making their way toward the great spirit stone mine, hidden by the cover of night.
At the forefront was Long Hao from Crazy Dragon Valley, followed by two other Nascent Soul cultivators from the same sect.
Long Hao gazed at the massive great spirit stone mine beneath the night sky, which seemed like a sleeping giant, and a cold smile appeared on his face. His two companions looked uneasy. "Senior Brother Long, this man killed Song Lingfeng, forced Dong Qi and Su Jue to retreat. His strength must be formidable. He's also been occupying this great spirit stone mine, so he's certainly not lacking in spirit stones. Can the three of us really be his match?"
Long Hao let out a hearty laugh. "What's there to be afraid of? We're just here to test his strength, not to engage him in a fight. The great spirit stone mine has been plundered several times by both the righteous and demonic factions. The spirit stones there are almost depleted. Besides, he's been occupying several mines, so he must have spread his puppets around. These puppets require large amounts of spirit stones for daily operation. His strength must have diminished to some extent."
Long Hao paused for a moment, then continued, "Also, Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion promised me he would come after me. He should be here soon. He still retains his Nascent Soul Stage early strength and has several Nascent Soul puppets in his possession. We outnumber him—if we can't win, we can always escape."
The two companions immediately looked relieved. "Senior Brother Long is always thinking ahead! With Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion backing us up, we have nothing to fear."
However, the three waited, and waited some more. The ancient beasts came in wave after wave, yet Xiao Xian never appeared.
"This is strange… why hasn't Xiao Xian arrived?" Long Hao furrowed his brow. "Chu Xuan killed Song Lingfeng of the Red Flame Pavilion. When Senior Sister Qiu mentioned this, Xiao Xian was furious, almost foaming at the mouth. He hated Chu Xuan to the bone. He should have come by now."
His companions nodded in agreement. "That's true."
Long Hao nodded, then suddenly paused. "Wait… there are three people?" He turned toward the unfamiliar third figure, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Dong Qi, what are you doing here?!" He recognized the face and growled in shock.
Chu Xuan gave a faint smile. "You've been waiting at my doorstep for so long. How could I not come out and welcome you properly?"
Before the words even left his mouth, there was a sharp, cracking sound. The two Nascent Soul Stage early cultivators standing next to Long Hao were instantly decapitated—one's head was sliced off by a steel wire, the other's neck snapped with a twist of Hu's hand.
In a single motion, Chu Xuan casually stored their bodies in his storage bag.
Don't be fooled by how powerful Nascent Soul cultivators appear. In most ordinary cultivation worlds, they would already be the leaders of sects or revered elders.
However, the gap between Nascent Soul early stage and Nascent Soul late stage cultivators is far greater than the difference between early and late stages of Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment.
No amount of magic treasures or talismans could fill that gap. What's more, the two Nascent Soul Stage early cultivators were both affected by the surrounding depletion of Spiritual Qi, while Chu Xuan was at the Nascent Soul Stage eighth layer and had not suffered any loss in strength.
The deaths of the two junior brothers clearly shook Long Hao to his core. These were Nascent Soul cultivators! Not mere mortals! Even if they were ambushed, they shouldn't have been completely defenseless. This outcome could only mean one thing: the disparity in strength was vast.
Without hesitation, Long Hao threw out a large flag. As soon as the flag was in his grasp, it unfurled and quickly emitted a thick mist, obscuring his figure. Even spiritual sense couldn't detect him. He immediately spewed out the essence of his Nascent Soul and activated a teleportation technique to flee.
However, after traveling a distance of several dozen zhang, he was struck by the terrifying sight before him. A thick blood-red cloud appeared out of nowhere. Not just in front of him, but above, below, and on all sides. The entire area was enveloped in blood-red clouds!
Within the blood cloud, countless eerie spirits swarmed towards him. These malevolent blood demons, with their sharp teeth and hunger-filled eyes, pounced on him like starving beasts who had just caught the scent of fresh meat.
Long Hao was both shocked and furious. He immediately summoned a Dragon Patterned Golden Bell from his storage. The bell emitted waves of golden light, and the blood demons screeched, their bodies burning as if set aflame. The first wave of demons, charging headfirst, were reduced to ashes within seconds.
Long Hao let out a cold laugh and continued to activate the Dragon Patterned Golden Bell. The golden ripples emanated from the bell, growing ever more intense. However, within this sea of blood clouds, the ripples were like a small boat on the turbulent waves—on the verge of capsizing at any moment. He glanced around, only to see that the number of demons coming at him showed no sign of dwindling. His Dragon Patterned Golden Bell, while effective against evil spirits, seemed useless against these strange blood-colored demons. Even if they were slain, they continued to taint the bell's light.
In a matter of moments, the bell, his prized magic treasure, had already lost much of its brilliance.
A chill ran down Long Hao's spine.
"Dragon Patterned Golden Bell, Wild Dragon's Demon Slayer!"
He roared furiously and slapped the bell with all his strength. The golden waves intensified, thickening like a tide. Half of the blood demons were instantly obliterated.
Long Hao was overjoyed and immediately took out a magic treasure to break through the encroaching blood clouds. However, just as he burst through the blood mist, a faint black light suddenly streaked across. It circled around his neck.
Crack.
His head fell to the ground.
Chu Xuan moved swiftly, drawing out Long Hao's soul essence with a single hand. As for the body, he tossed it directly into the Blood Demon Flask. In no time, the Blood Demon Flask would refine the body into blood mist.
Although Long Hao was a Nascent Soul cultivator, and his body contained far more blood essence than an ordinary person—even without specializing in body refinement—it would still take a while for the Blood Demon Flask to fully process it.
"This Blood Demon Flask still has its flaws," Chu Xuan mused, "but as a low-grade magic treasure, it can function like a top-grade one for a while. It's already showing its potential." He nodded in satisfaction, his gaze drifting toward the distant darkness with a sly smile.
"That Xiao Xian is clever. Qiu Wanhong encouraged him to test my strength but he never showed up. Not only did he fail to come, but he also tricked Long Hao into coming here, promising that he himself would arrive."
Chu Xuan hadn't made a move on Long Hao and his two companions immediately. Instead, he had been listening to their conversation, trying to locate Xiao Xian. It wasn't until he confirmed that Xiao Xian had not appeared that he finally turned his attention to dealing with Long Hao and the others. By then, two figures appeared, walking slowly from the distance.
It was Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji. When they saw the still-wet blood stains on the ground, they shook their heads in disappointment.
"It seems we're late," Wei Ji sighed, "Such a pity."
"Didn't manage to help Fellow Daoist Chu, we are deeply ashamed," Shang Xingchen sighed even more deeply.
Wei Ji twitched his mouth. "Is that shame?" he thought. "No, you're just coveting his spoils of war. I'm honestly embarrassed for you!"
Chu Xuan chuckled, "No worries, there will be plenty more opportunities."
Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded, "I understand."
The two of them returned the way they came. Chu Xuan also went back to the great spirit stone mine.
Cold Ironwood Forest.
Qiu Wanhong stared at the shattered life token, her face turning ashen. Inside the token was a drop of Long Hao's blood. This meant Long Hao was dead!
After questioning several of Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qiu Wanhong's expression darkened further.
"How is this possible?!" she fumed.
Xiao Xian swiftly approached Qiu Wanhong, his expression full of concern.
"Fellow Daoist Qiu, what happened? I noticed that Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators seem unsettled."
Suppressing her rage, Qiu Wanhong explained the situation to Xiao Xian.
Xiao Xian's face turned pale with shock. "How could this be?! Fellow Daoist Long Hao was too greedy for merit, rushing in recklessly. How dare he provoke that Chu Xuan?"
Qiu Wanhong gritted her teeth. "This damn Chu Xuan! He killed your Sect's Song Lingfeng, and now he's killed Crazy Dragon Valley's Junior Brother Long! Before leaving, the Valley Master entrusted Long Hao to me. If I fail to return him to Crazy Dragon Valley, how could I face the Valley Master again?"
Xiao Xian's eyes turned red, and he shot to his feet, filled with rage.
"I am willing to avenge Fellow Daoist Qiu! This fiend killed Senior Brother Song from Red Flame Pavilion. We cannot let him live! I've been preparing in the shadows! We will strike from two directions, surrounding him on all sides! We will surely eliminate that Chu Xuan!" He cupped his hands. "However, Crazy Dragon Valley still has several Nascent Soul cultivators, while Red Flame Pavilion only has two. The only person who can assist me now is Fellow Daoist Ximen from Majestic Sword Sect. I ask Senior Sister Qiu to lend me a hand!"
Qiu Wanhong understood his intention. Her anger was rising, and she could almost taste Chu Xuan's flesh in her mind. Some thoughts eluded her for the moment. Qiu Wanhong slapped her storage bag and immediately took out a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast along with ten Golden Core late-stage puppet beasts.
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, I'll temporarily lend you these puppet beasts. While I draw Chu Xuan's attention, you will strike together, swiftly breaking the mine's formation! Once we do, we will share the great spirit stone mine equally. There will be no shortage of spirit stones for you!"
Xiao Xian stood with a solemn expression. "Since Fellow Daoist Qiu places such trust in me, I will give my all to this! I will definitely slay Chu Xuan! To avenge Senior Brother Song, and to repay Crazy Dragon Valley's debt for Fellow Daoist Long!" With that, he immediately gathered his forces and set off in the dead of night, leaving the Cold Ironwood Forest.
Qiu Wanhong barked a command. "All cultivators of Crazy Dragon Valley, listen to my orders! Foundation Establishment cultivators will stay in the forest, using the puppet beasts to guard it. No one is to enter! We will head to the great spirit stone mine, kill Chu Xuan, and avenge Junior Brother Long!"
Before long, Qiu Wanhong led the remaining four Nascent Soul cultivators toward the great spirit stone mine. However, not long after they departed...
Xiao Xian, Ximen Changqing, and another Nascent Soul cultivator from Red Flame Pavilion sneaked back to the entrance of the Cold Ironwood Forest under the cover of night.
Xiao Xian gazed at the forest, a smug smile spreading across his face.
"Compared to that hard-to-take great spirit stone mine," he mused, "this easily obtainable Cold Ironwood Forest suits me much better."
Ximen Changqing smiled. "Fellow Daoist Xiao, your move was brilliant! Qiu Wanhong took her people directly to find Chu Xuan. She never expected we would turn back halfway and return to the Cold Ironwood Forest."
Xiao Xian laughed heartily. "Qiu Wanhong isn't stupid, just blinded by her rage. She couldn't see through it in the heat of the moment. We'll quickly take over this Cold Ironwood Forest, and from now on, it will be ours!"
Ximen Changqing added, "But there's a formation set up by Qiu Wanhong in this place. And there are still quite a few Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators inside."
Xiao Xian waved his hand dismissively. "What Foundation Establishment cultivators? When we entered, there weren't any. They've probably perished under the attack of the ancient beasts by now."
Ximen Changqing nodded with a smile. "I see."
Xiao Xian approached the entrance of the forest, calling out anxiously, "Fellow Daoist Qiu has been in a deadlock with that demonic cultivator. She was almost seriously injured, so she asked me to bring more puppet beasts to her! Do you have any spare puppet beasts?"
At once, a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators rushed out in a panic. These Foundation Establishment cultivators had come to the extraterritorial battlefield mostly to do hard labor. If they wanted to survive, they could only rely on Nascent Soul cultivators for protection. If anything happened to Qiu Wanhong, they wouldn't survive either. The leader of the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators bowed respectfully to Xiao Xian.
"Senior Xiao, we still have some puppet beasts left from Qiu Master. We will give them all to you."
Saying this, he took out a storage bag, ready to hand it over.
Xiao Xian smiled and took the bag, but then asked casually, "Are there any cultivators left in the forest?"
The Foundation Establishment cultivator was puzzled but didn't ask further. He simply shook his head. "Everyone is here."
Xiao Xian nodded with a smile. "Good, good."
With a casual flick of his hand, a magic tool sliced through the air, instantly cleaving the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of him into two halves. Ximen Changqing sighed quietly but also had to act.
In the blink of an eye, all the Crazy Dragon Valley Foundation Establishment cultivators had fallen in a pool of blood. Before long, the Nether Crocodiles, drawn by the scent of blood, swarmed the area. In less than a quarter of an hour, the Cold Ironwood Forest was in new hands.
...
Meanwhile, Qiu Wanhong still had no idea what had transpired in the forest. She had already led four Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley and arrived outside the great spirit stone mine. Standing on the hill, she could see the situation at the mine. She planned to wait for Xiao Xian and the others to arrive.
However, after waiting for a long time, no one showed up. A sense of unease began to rise in Qiu Wanhong's heart. Her previous rage-induced fog had cleared, and now she realized something was wrong.
"Something's wrong… we've fallen for Xiao Xian's trap!"
Qiu Wanhong ground her teeth in fury. She should have realized earlier that Xiao Xian had never intended to help her. The Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley looked at each other with urgency.
"What should we do now? Should we return to the forest?" one asked.
Qiu Wanhong glanced at the great spirit stone mine. "No," she said, her voice firm. "If we try to go back now, we'll be intercepted by Xiao Xian and the others. Time will only drag us deeper into the trap. We'll be surrounded by the Nether Crocodiles and other ancient beasts. We have no choice but to move forward. We must seize the great spirit stone mine!"
"Yes!" the other cultivators responded, nodding in agreement.
Qiu Wanhong growled, her voice like a battle cry, "Follow me and charge! Let's avenge Junior Brother Long!"
With a sweep of her hand, several Nascent Soul early-stage puppets and dozens of Golden Core late-stage puppets materialized around her. Although her own cultivation had slightly declined, putting her at the level of a Nascent Soul first-layer cultivator, she was confident that with so many puppets, she could still take the mine.
Whether Xiao Xian was involved or not didn't matter. The difference lay only in the casualties. She glanced at her junior brothers and sisters, stepping back a half-step. A cold, detached thought crossed her mind—perhaps higher casualties wouldn't be a bad thing after all.
Suddenly, a blazing fiery shield rose up, enveloping the entire great spirit stone mine like an inverted giant bowl.
"An array this large?!" The Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley were taken aback.
Such a massive Nascent Soul-level formation would consume a vast amount of spirit stones, even without being activated!
"This formation is called the Eight-Directions Burning Fire Array," Qiu Wanhong said, her sharp eyes recognizing it at once. "Though it combines both offense and defense, its defensive power is weaker compared to other Nascent Soul-level formations. However, the spirit stones required for it are far greater."
Qiu Wanhong had lived long enough to recognize the array. She bellowed, "Kill! Even if he controls this mine, the amount of spirit stones he has won't last long! This formation can't be sustained forever!"
She quickly cast a spell, sending a surge of golden dragon energy crashing into the fiery shield. Her four Nascent Soul companions immediately followed suit, unleashing their own spells. The puppet beasts, relentless in their attacks, hammered at the formation without pause. The fiery shield rippled violently under their onslaught. After an hour of intense assault, the shield finally began to flicker and dim, gradually fading until it was completely gone.
Just as Qiu Wanhong was about to give the order for her juniors to charge forward, a sudden cry sounded from behind. She turned to look. To her surprise, two figures emerged from the darkness, drawing closer.
"It's Shang Xingchen from the Heavenly Infinite Sect," she muttered. "I recognize him. He was on the Reincarnation Divine Sect's bounty list! The other one must be Wei Ji! These two are here to help Chu Xuan!"
Her expression darkened, eyes flashing with fury. "Leave these two to you," she commanded her companions. "I'll deal with Chu Xuan!"
"Understood!" her subordinates responded quickly.
The four Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley immediately charged toward Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, their movements swift and calculated.
Qiu Wanhong, with a wave of her hand, summoned all her puppets and stormed into the great spirit stone mine.
Shang Xingchen couldn't help but shake his head.
Wei Ji whispered, "Shouldn't we lend a hand to Fellow Daoist Chu?"
Shang Xingchen smiled lightly. "No need. He's just playing a part."
Wei Ji blinked in confusion. "Playing a part?"
Shang Xingchen chuckled softly. "You still don't quite understand Chu Xuan. If he wasn't pretending to be weak, do you think Qiu Wanhong would charge into the mine?"
Wei Ji's spine instantly stiffened.
"Good lord. That's so ruthless!" he thought, his admiration growing.
...
Inside the great spirit stone mine, it was pitch black. Only the faint glow from sporadically glowing ores on the walls provided slight illumination, casting long shadows that stretched across the winding corridors.
The rock formations in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield had been solidified over hundreds of thousands of years, making them incredibly tough and dense. Even Nascent Soul cultivators found it hard to penetrate with their spiritual sense—the detection range was severely suppressed in this environment.
In the mine, this problem was even more pronounced.
Qiu Wanhong walked cautiously through the labyrinthine tunnels, suddenly feeling like a blind and deaf mortal. Danger seemed to lurk in every direction. She regretted her decision to venture into the tunnels alone. But there was no turning back now. If she couldn't seize the great spirit stone mine, she'd have no way to return to the Cold Ironwood Forest. It was now a fight to the death.
"Devil, show yourself!" Qiu Wanhong hissed, her voice cold and venomous. She quickly performed a sealing gesture, causing two small shields to appear beside her, ever vigilant for any strange movement.
Just then, a mocking laugh echoed through the corridor ahead.
"Come out because you tell me to? Wouldn't that be terribly embarrassing for me?"
A shadow flashed quickly past her, almost too fast to track.
Without hesitation, Qiu Wanhong quickened her pace, charging toward the sound. She sent a powerful spell hurtling forward, yet when she reached the spot, there was nothing.
The passage was empty, silent.