Chu Xuan watched in silence as Heavenly River True Master was swiftly consumed by the Dark Palace. The entire scene unfolded before him like a nightmare. A chill of foreboding surged within him.
He didn't hesitate for even a second—without turning back, he began to retreat. The sensation of that ghostly hand and the suffocating death aura was all too familiar, reminiscent of the old monster he had encountered in Heaven-Three City. His instincts proved true—the Dark Palace was connected to that old monster!
Thank goodness, he had always been cautious, never one to venture into the unknown. Had he been reckless, he would have already fallen prey.
Seeing Chu Xuan's swift retreat, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji exchanged a quick glance before immediately employing their own escape techniques. Not far away, the faces of Shangguan He, Kang Jia, and others had turned ashen. Without a moment's hesitation, they turned and fled.
This place was another trap—there was no time to waste.
"Since you've come all this way, why not stay for a while? Join me in my belly. How delightful it will be!"
The voice that echoed from the Dark Palace was grotesque, a chilling, malicious laugh that sent shivers down the spine.
Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently again. From the depths of the earth, massive tree roots shot out like serpents, twisting and coiling as they struck at the fleeing cultivators.
Chu Xuan's brows twitched involuntarily. Without a moment's thought, he flickered into motion, narrowly avoiding one of the tree roots that swung toward him with terrifying speed.
Boom!
The massive root slammed down where he had stood just moments ago, creating a deep ravine in the earth—more than three zhang deep. The ground, which had been solid and hardened over hundreds of thousands of years, was torn apart as if it were paper.
The surrounding landscape, formed by the condensed earth and rock of the extraterritorial battlefield, had been worn down by the passing of time. A strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator would only shatter a few stones, at most. But the force behind these tree roots was at least on par with an early-stage Deity Transformation cultivator.
"Ahhh!"
A scream pierced the air nearby. Chu Xuan didn't even glance over—he knew immediately that a Nascent Soul cultivator had failed to dodge in time and had been crushed by one of the roots. The person's body was undoubtedly reduced to a bloody pulp, a mixture of torn clothing and shattered bones.
Chu Xuan, however, was no stranger to the Taotie Tree. He had planted one on a small island on Blue Star. In the beginning, the tree's aggression had been intense, and he had spent quite a bit of time sparring with it. Over time, he had come to understand its patterns and rhythms. Dodging its strikes had become second nature to him.
He knew exactly how to read its attacks.
As another massive root shot toward him, Chu Xuan effortlessly sidestepped, his movements smooth and precise. The Taotie Tree's hunger was insatiable, but his experience with it made it easy to avoid the wrath of its vicious assault.
"Why is this person able to control the Taotie Tree?" Chu Xuan wondered, evading another vicious strike from the Taotie Tree. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but after some contemplation, he could only sigh in resignation. There were so many things he could not understand in this world—like the true origins of the extraterritorial battlefield, the source of the Taotie Tree, or the true identity of the old monster.
Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji were following closely behind Chu Xuan. At first, both were struggling to avoid the relentless attacks of the Taotie Tree, narrowly escaping death multiple times. They had come dangerously close to becoming nothing more than paste.
However, Shang Xingchen quickly noticed Chu Xuan's graceful movements, slipping through the Taotie Tree's strikes with ease. It was as though he had already discerned the rhythm of the attacks, moving with practiced fluidity.
Shang Xingchen's eyes narrowed as he focused on Chu Xuan. In less than a hundred breaths, he had gone from cautiously dodging to confidently evading each strike, as though he too could now follow the tree's patterns. With each leap and dodge, he mimicked Chu Xuan's motions.
Wei Ji was suddenly flung into the air by a shockwave generated by a Taotie Tree root. Spitting dirt from his mouth, he looked on in awe as Chu Xuan and Shang Xingchen moved with the elegance of dancing dragons, effortlessly weaving between the roots. His jaw dropped in astonishment.
"Teach me!" Wei Ji cried out, desperation lacing his voice.
Shang Xingchen didn't look back but called out loudly, "If you can see the rhythm of the Taotie Tree's attacks, you'll survive."
With that, he accelerated, flying even faster. Wei Ji gritted his teeth, barely able to grasp the full extent of the situation before another root slammed down from above.
"Damn it…" Wei Ji cursed under his breath, only to be sent flying once again, crashing into a cloud of dust and rock.
The Taotie Tree roots continued to rain down relentlessly. Despite their best efforts, Chu Xuan and the others were barely able to make any progress. Instead, they found themselves surrounded by a growing number of dark shapes. Chu Xuan's heart sank as he recognized what they were.
They were the Wood Corpses—foul, reanimated husks of the dead. Among them were the dreaded Nether Crocodiles, the Dark Nether Hawks, and various other demonic beasts, not to mention the fallen cultivators.
These Wood Corpses had been hidden within every stone, buried beneath every inch of ground, and now, like hungry beasts smelling blood, they surged forth with ravenous hunger, intent on devouring everything in their path.
Chu Xuan gritted his teeth and raised his hand. The Ice God Pillar shot up, a towering column of frozen power, smashing through the nearest Wood Corpses and sending them flying in all directions.
But Shang Xingchen wasn't so fortunate. His surroundings were flooded with even more Wood Corpses—over sixty, to be precise. Among them was a particularly menacing figure, one that had once been a Deity Transformation cultivator, now reduced to a soulless corpse. This one, no doubt, had fallen in the long and bloody years of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, and now it was under the control of the Taotie Tree.
The situation was becoming more dire by the moment. The Taotie Tree was not just a simple enemy; it was a malevolent force that had manipulated the dead, drawing from a pool of ancient corpses to form a terrifying army. Even the best of them—cultivators at the Deity Transformation stage—had become little more than pawns, caught in a web they could not escape.
Chu Xuan's mind raced, but his focus remained sharp. The Ice God Pillar was a potent weapon, but it was only a temporary measure. If they didn't find a way to break free from the Taotie Tree's control, they would soon be overwhelmed by the sheer number of Wood Corpses closing in on them.
Shang Xingchen's expression changed slightly. Without hesitation, he summoned two small shields, magic treasures, to block himself. Pouring his Spiritual Qi into them, he shouted, "Sect Master, save me!"
Chu Xuan, however, ignored the plea and continued to fly forward.
Shang Xingchen gritted his teeth, pouring even more Spiritual Qi into the shields as he cried out once again, "I'll give you the formulas for the Great Soul Spirit Pill, the Boiling Blood True Pill, and the Focus Spirit Pill! I'll also give you the inheritance of the Supreme Bliss Pill King!"
At this, Chu Xuan abruptly stopped, turned around, and shot back toward him. "Ah, Fellow Daoist Shang, your call for help was too soft. I didn't hear it properly! I'm coming now, Fellow Daoist Shang, hold on!"
Shang Xingchen couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration. His situation was becoming increasingly dire, and yet, Chu Xuan's nonchalant tone seemed to add salt to the wound.
Chu Xuan stretched out his hand, and the Ice God Pillar rose suddenly, slamming into the Wood Corpses before him, sending them flying. Around him, the Evil Soul Chain whirled, felling everything in their path.
The Evil Soul Chain coiled like a giant black serpent, strangling any Wood Corpses that attempted to approach. The steel wires, invisible to the eye, sliced through the corpses with terrifying precision, tearing them into dozens of pieces.
In that moment, Chu Xuan displayed an astonishing level of lethality. Everywhere he passed, the ground was littered with the scattered limbs and shattered bodies of the Wood Corpses.
One particularly powerful Wood Corpse, with strength rivaling that of a Deity Transformation cultivator in the early stages, roared and swung its fists toward him. Chu Xuan didn't even consider fighting it head-on. Instead, he expelled Nascent Soul essence, performing a quick teleportation to the left.
"Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist!" Chu Xuan shouted as his fist erupted with immense power, obliterating the Wood Corpses in front of him and tearing open a gap.
Without hesitation, Shang Xingchen tossed a spiritual sense jade slip toward Chu Xuan, then followed, flying at top speed. He knew exactly what Chu Xuan was after, and the situation left him no room to delay.
Shang Xingchen could tell that although he still had the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator at the early stage, he was barely holding on, keeping a part of his power hidden.
Meanwhile, Chu Xuan's previous strikes carried the force of a Nascent Soul cultivator in the late stage, while his aura remained at the mid-Golden Core stage, clearly hiding most of his strength. If he didn't hand over the object immediately, his life might be forfeit.
The two of them simultaneously consumed Nascent Soul essence and used teleportation to avoid the Deity Transformation early-stage Wood Corpse's attack. They twisted their bodies, darting off in separate directions to escape.
The Deity Transformation early-stage Wood Corpse howled in frustration, unsure who to chase. At that very moment, Wei Ji, injured and barely managing to stand, looked up. His eyes met those of the Wood Corpse in an unexpected moment of stillness. For a brief instant, everything seemed to quiet down.
Then, the Wood Corpse let out a furious roar and stomped the ground, charging toward Wei Ji.
"Damn…" Wei Ji cursed bitterly, and without further hesitation, he turned and fled.
On the other side, Shangguan He and Kang Jia were also desperately fleeing, evading the strikes of the Taotie Tree roots and the attacks of the Wood Corpses. They were not like Chu Xuan, who seemed to have an intuitive grasp of the Taotie Tree's attack patterns.
They had to dodge when possible and block when they couldn't avoid the strikes. Every time they were forced to defend, they had to expend Nascent Soul essence, defensive magic treasures, defensive spells, and talismans. After a series of evasions, their strength was nearly depleted.
Kang Jia was luckier, suffering only superficial wounds, but Shangguan He's situation was far more dire. A long tree branch had pierced through his abdomen. As he tried to pull it out, he found that it had somehow rooted itself deep within his body, greedily siphoning his life force and blood. To make matters worse, during his escape, he had collided with a small space rift. Although he managed to avoid a fatal blow to his head, his right arm was severed at the shoulder by the rift, leaving it dangling uselessly.
As they continued to flee, a massive wave of Wood Corpses surged toward them. Kang Jia, who was positioned ahead, had a chance to escape. However, Shangguan He was trapped in the midst of the corpses, and with his severe injuries, no matter how much he struggled, there was no way for him to break free from the encirclement.
"Senior Brother!" Kang Jia called out without hesitation, turning back to rescue him.
Shangguan He spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered in front of Kang Jia.
"Fool!" he cursed. "You can run, so why are you coming back to save me? Don't you fear that I'll use you as a human shield to escape?"
Kang Jia froze, unsure how to respond. He had never considered that possibility. When he was still a child, he had joined Shangguan He's sect. From the time he became a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to the present as a Golden Core cultivator, Shangguan He had always been his mentor. They had worked together closely, and Kang Jia had never once thought that Shangguan He would sacrifice him without a second thought.
Seeing the confusion in Kang Jia's eyes, Shangguan He sighed deeply.
"Little Jia..." he said softly. "I had intended to teach you slowly, but there's no more time."
He paused, looking at his disciple one last time. "I will teach you the last rule on the path to immortality. To save others, you must first save yourself! If you can't even escape safely yourself, how can you save anyone else?"
With a roar, Shangguan He's Spiritual Qi reversed, causing his body to inflate rapidly, as if he were about to explode. Kang Jia's eyes widened in shock.
"Senior Brother..." he murmured, realizing what was happening. As a disciple of the Fiery Sky Cloud Pavilion, he was familiar with the technique.
Under normal circumstances, a Nascent Soul cultivator might self-destruct in a desperate situation. But the Fiery Sky Ancestors had discovered a method that allowed not just the self-destruction of the Nascent Soul but also the explosion of the soul, vitality, and cultivation, amplifying the destructive power to its peak.
The founder of Fiery Sky Cloud Pavilion had named this technique "The Verdant Blood, Unyielding Heart Method".
"Remember my words, and live well!" Shangguan He laughed loudly, his body disintegrating in a violent explosion.
Boom!
The earth-shattering sound of the explosion reverberated through the air. Everything within a thirty-zhang radius—the Wood Corpses, the rocks, the soil—was obliterated into dust, ground into fine powder as small as rice grains.
Kang Jia was protected by a force left by Shangguan He before his death, sending him flying far from the explosion's epicenter.
Boom!
Kang Jia wiped away the tears he hadn't realized had fallen. With determination, he unleashed his full speed and fled with all his might, using his escape technique to soar through the air. He swore to carry on the life his Senior Brother had sacrificed for, to live on and fulfill the final wish of the man who had once guided him in the path of cultivation.
Within the pitch-black palace, a cold, indifferent gaze swept across its surroundings.
When Luo Zu caught sight of Chu Xuan's retreating figure, he could not help but let out a soft, surprised sound.
"That little brat... he's running pretty fast. If I want to kill him, it'll take quite a bit of effort. Forget it. I woke up too soon. There are far too many forgotten memories... I can't afford to linger any longer. I must head to the Eternal Battlefield. Only there will I uncover the truth of what I must do."
Suddenly, the Dark Palace began to ascend at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, the palace's base detached itself from the ground. This massive, pitch-black structure floated gracefully in midair, slowly drifting toward the edge of the domain outside the battlefield.
The fleeing cultivators around them stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Chu Xuan, who had just obliterated the Wood Corpse that had charged at him, also witnessed this scene. He saw, too, that the base of the palace was wrapped in countless Taotie Tree roots.
As the palace soared into the starry sky, the surrounding Taotie Trees emitted a mournful wail, as though they were being forcibly pulled from deep beneath the earth by the Dark Palace.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground trembled once more.
Chu Xuan dared not delay. Without hesitation, he accelerated, knowing he had to leave immediately. Sure enough, deep trenches soon appeared across the land. Entire cities crumbled, and mining fields shattered, falling into the abyss below.
However, Nascent Soul cultivators at least had the ability to fly, and few were unfortunate enough to fall into these deep chasms.
Boom!
Finally, a small grey tree was violently uprooted by the Dark Palace. The cultivators around them were stunned. A tiny tree, capable of triggering such a magnitude of earthquake?
What sort of power did this little tree possess?
The Dark Palace did not linger. It continued its ascent into the starry sky, quickly vanishing from sight.
Chu Xuan stared at the distant heavens, his gaze sharpening. He suddenly noticed several flickering points of light.
"Is this just my imagination? The starry sky of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield is always unchanging. Why are there suddenly a few... new lights?"
He was confused and shook his head, dismissing the thought for now. But then, his expression shifted, his brow furrowing as he scanned his surroundings.
He realized that only a portion of the Taotie Tree roots and Wood Corpses had stopped moving. The rest were still wreaking havoc, attacking any living being in their path.
"The Taotie Tree... there's more than one?!"
With a surge of urgency, Chu Xuan increased his speed, pushing himself to the limit as he fled the area.
A cold snort echoed from within the Dark Palace.
"Interesting. A few little brats are hiding in the distance, waiting to harvest the Taotie Tree?"
Several flickering points of light shimmered in the vast sky, but none revealed their presence.
"You look interesting. I think I'll kill you first."
Luo Zu suddenly fixed his gaze on one of the red-glowing points of light and let out a strange laugh.
In the next moment, the Dark Palace transformed into a streak of black light, accelerating toward the red point. It closed the distance in the blink of an eye. A startled cry echoed from within the red light, and the figure instantly shot off, fleeing into the distance.
A chase ensued—one black, one red—before both figures vanished from sight. Once they were gone, the three faint points of light gradually regained their glow. Each point represented a separate consciousness, and they began exchanging information through a series of messages.
"The Taotie Tree in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield failed to grow. It was a failure. Who would have thought there was actually a shard of Luo Zu's avatar sleeping here? The Taotie Trees in the other two perilous battlefields have yielded results, but they are useless to us."
"What about Wen Lingtian?"
"He borrowed the power of the largest Taotie Tree, trying to break through to the latter stage of the Astral Projection realm, but his soul couldn't withstand it. He was assimilated, and I took him. It seems this path doesn't work."
"No, perhaps it's just because our cultivation is insufficient. Who will handle the aftermath here? The domain outside the battlefield cannot collapse further. It's already been noticed."
The three points of light flickered out, one by one, as silence enveloped the space. After a long pause, a single point flickered once again, and a message was sent:
"I'll handle it. But the remaining Taotie Tree here is mine."
"Agreed."
"It's yours."
The other two points of light faded away, clearly departing. Only the final point of light remained, slowly making its way toward the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.
The Heavenly Metal Battlefield was still in chaos. The roots of the Taotie Tree and the Wood Corpses wreaked havoc, tearing through the land without mercy.
Chu Xuan hid behind a massive rock, observing the surroundings. As two Nascent Soul stage Wood Corpses caught his scent and slowly drew nearer, Chu Xuan's mind stirred. The Evil Soul Chain and Gangsi shot out like lightning, quickly binding the two creatures.
Boom! Boom!
Chu Xuan unleashed two powerful punches, the might of his 38th stage of body refinement erupting with immense force, directly smashing the two Wood Corpses into pieces. Afterward, he flicked his fingers lightly, sending forth a wave of Blood Evil Yin Fire.
The flames soared into the air, consuming the corpses in an instant. Soon, all that remained was a cloud of ash. If he had simply destroyed them, it wouldn't have been long before the Wood Corpses reassembled and returned. Only by burning them with fire or dismembering them into hundreds of pieces could he ensure their complete annihilation.
"Eh?"
Chu Xuan's attention was drawn to a nearby wooden corpse, its head adorned with a treasure gourd. The gourd glowed with brilliant light. Without hesitation, he knew it was a valuable artifact.
"Wasn't it the Tian Mozi who flew out from the Dark Palace earlier, using a gourd-shaped spirit tool? Could this be the very same item?"
Chu Xuan couldn't help but pause, deep in thought. The encounter with such a rare treasure seemed too coincidental. How could this be? He instinctively felt the pull to approach. After all, this was a spiritual artifact.
Even a broken, low-grade spiritual artifact would surpass an exquisite magic treasure in terms of power. Although his Spiritual Qi might not be enough to fully activate it, having it in hand would be valuable. If he advanced to the Deity Transformation stage in the future, it would serve as a powerful tool to aid him on his path.
However, as soon as he began to approach, an instinctive sense of danger flared up within him. He wasn't sure where this feeling originated from, but it was unmistakable.
Perhaps it was a natural gift of heightened perception, or simply the instinct of someone who had lived carefully. But it certainly wasn't a gift bestowed by meritorious deeds. No, it wasn't.
Chu Xuan subtly focused his senses, and sure enough, he immediately detected a faint trace of spiritual sense hidden within the gourd.
"Could it be that Tian Mozi's primordial spirit is sealed inside?"
A sudden realization struck him. When the Infinite Sect was destroyed, he, as a mere Qi Refining cultivator, had stayed out of sight, using treasures to trap righteous cultivators time and again. This was precisely the kind of trick he was familiar with.
Tian Mozi, a Deity Transformation stage demonic cultivator, had forged a bloody path to his current power. The tactics Tian Mozi employed were surely more numerous than the ones Chu Xuan had ever used.
Hence, Chu Xuan immediately deduced that this wasn't a heavenly treasure falling from the sky, but rather a death trap. If the gourd contained a Nascent Soul cultivator, Chu Xuan would have seized the opportunity to pull him out and refine his soul.
But now, there was a strong possibility that it was Tian Mozi himself. Even if Tian Mozi, after escaping the Dark Palace, had used all his trump cards and was severely wounded, even abandoning his physical body, Chu Xuan didn't want to tangle with a Deity Transformation expert.
What if his greed for this small treasure led to his downfall?
Chu Xuan had the Myriad Realm Mirror, with access to three resource worlds: Blue Star, the Soul Star, and the Cave World. With these resources at his disposal, what treasures did he need to covet?
"This gourd is quite impressive, it must be a top-tier magic treasure!"
Chu Xuan's face lit up with surprise, and it seemed as though he was about to rush forward eagerly, ready to snatch the treasure into his grasp.
However, his figure suddenly reversed course at an astonishing speed, retreating far beyond his previous approach. In the blink of an eye, he was nearly a hundred zhang away.
"Good lad, you actually sensed me," a cold laugh rang out from the gourd.
In the next moment, the gourd suddenly sprang up, releasing a wave of black mist that swiftly coalesced into the upper half of a figure. The figure had a hawk-like nose, deep-set eyes, and a sinister expression.
It was none other than Tian Mozi, a Deity Transformation cultivator from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect!
The gourd exploded with terrifying black light.
Chu Xuan, still in motion, felt his speed suddenly slow. Looking down, he saw that his feet were now shackled by a dark glow—like an invisible manacle.
The black light spraying from the gourd instantly intensified the grip on his feet, drastically reducing his speed.
"When you entered within twenty zhang of the gourd, you were already affected," Tian Mozi's voice rang out, filled with malicious glee. "Think you can escape? Not a chance!"
Tian Mozi let out a cruel laugh. "My corpse puppets were destroyed, and I'm in need of a new body. You're a body refinement cultivator—just perfect for me to seize!"
Chu Xuan's expression shifted slightly. He struggled, attempting to break free, but found that his body was being irresistibly drawn toward the gourd. It felt as though the gourd was pulling him in, a force beyond his control.
"I never sought conflict. Why force me into this?" Chu Xuan's eyes grew cold as he suddenly twisted his body and shot toward Tian Mozi.
Tian Mozi paused for a moment, clearly surprised. Then, he broke into uproarious laughter. "Good, good! You've got spirit! I like a junior like you!"
In that instant, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense erupted like a torrent in his mind, and within the blink of an eye, two massive, chilling hands materialized and lashed out toward Tian Mozi.
Boom!
The clash of spiritual senses was thunderous.
To Tian Mozi's shock, his spiritual sense, even though he was severely wounded from the Dark Palace's encounter, failed to crush Chu Xuan's.
Despite being a Deity Transformation cultivator—his soul having already transformed into a primordial spirit, far surpassing the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator—he couldn't believe that his spiritual sense couldn't overwhelm this Nascent Soul cultivator in front of him!
"How...?" Tian Mozi gaped in disbelief. "How can this be possible?!"
What he didn't know was that Chu Xuan's soul had been reinforced through multiple layers of merit golden wheels, cleansing showers of Soul-cleansing Gold Rain, and the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus within his body.
Chu Xuan's soul had become incredibly strong—surpassing most cultivators of the same realm.
Since the spiritual sense was derived from the soul, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was naturally formidable. On top of that, he had previously absorbed a portion of Luo Zu's spiritual sense, which had significantly boosted his own.
As a result, it wasn't surprising that Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was on par with Tian Mozi's, despite the latter's status as a severely wounded Deity Transformation cultivator.
"Do you really think you can seize my body? Do you have that ability?"
In the midst of their clash, Chu Xuan quickly gauged his opponent's strength. Without hesitation, he unleashed a massive strike of spiritual sense—a technique from the Nascent Soul realm: the Great Devouring Palm.
Tian Mozi gritted his teeth and immediately formed a giant shield of spiritual sense to defend himself.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two forces collided repeatedly, sending shockwaves through the air.
Tian Mozi was stunned as he realized that with each exchange, a portion of his spiritual sense was being devoured by Chu Xuan's palm, quickly converted and absorbed. The balance was tipping in Chu Xuan's favor. His spiritual sense shield was weakening with every strike, unable to fully block the power of Chu Xuan's great palm.
"To think that he can devour my spiritual sense in the middle of battle... such a secret technique!" Tian Mozi was taken aback, unable to hide his astonishment.
Spiritual sense techniques were already rare in the cultivation world, and a technique that could devour the opponent's spiritual sense in battle was even rarer—almost all of them were only mastered by cultivators in the late Deity Transformation stage.
This person, however, was merely a Nascent Soul cultivator. How could he possess such a technique?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle raged on.
Tian Mozi was becoming more desperate. His soul wasn't particularly strong compared to others in his realm, and now every clash with Chu Xuan resulted in his spiritual sense being devoured further. If this continued, he would be at a severe disadvantage.
"Stop! Stop!" Tian Mozi cried out in panic.
"Young friend, I am Tian Mozi. I was only testing you just now, not truly attempting to seize your body."
He forced a smile, his voice now laced with urgency. "How about we each go our separate ways?"
As a Deity Transformation expert, Tian Mozi did not wish for things to come to this point. But there was no other choice—this Nascent Soul cultivator before him was exceptionally strong. All he wanted was to find a suitable body to possess. What was wrong with that?
Chu Xuan casually waved his hand, forming three layers of true spiritual shields with his spiritual sense. He stared at the white bone stele in deep thought.
Tian Mozi had no way to deal with him, and likewise, Chu Xuan couldn't do much to Tian Mozi.
Although each clash drained Tian Mozi's spiritual sense, it was like scraping away at something—a slow process. It would take days or even weeks of fighting to completely devour him. However, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was constantly changing. Who knew what would happen next?
It seemed wiser to take advantage of the situation and extract some benefit from Tian Mozi before leaving.
"You speak lies!" Chu Xuan's voice grew more forceful. "You call yourself Tian Mozi? Do you think that makes it true?"
He sneered coldly. "I believe you are just some rogue demon who crawled up from the depths of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. You are a fraud, not the true Senior Tian Mozi! I, He Liang, have always admired Senior Tian Mozi. How could I let someone like you defile his name?"
Chu Xuan's righteous words became more and more intense.
Tian Mozi was left groaning inwardly. *I really am Tian Mozi! Why don't you believe me?*
"If you could provide proof of being the true Tian Mozi," Chu Xuan continued, "then I might believe you. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to rid this place of you—this false demon impostor! Even if it costs me my life!"
Tian Mozi fell silent for a long time. As a Deity Transformation cultivator who had traveled far and wide, he could see through Chu Xuan's intentions. The boy wanted him to pay up to avoid disaster, and he couldn't deny it.
After much contemplation, Tian Mozi reluctantly decided to offer a magic treasure. He produced a towering stone tablet, a white bone stele, about one zhang high.
However, this wasn't made from stone—it was crafted entirely from white bones. At the very top, a terrifying, grinning skull loomed, glowing with an eerie blue light.
"This is a top-tier magic treasure, the White Bone Stele," Tian Mozi said, his voice laced with melancholy. "It is only a step away from becoming a spiritual artifact. Since you admire me so, you must know that this treasure was my Nascent Soul power when I was sweeping through the world."
The Deity Transformation cultivator sighed, and with visible reluctance, he tossed the White Bone Stele towards Chu Xuan. "Here, take it. I have no choice."
As he fled in his Nascent Soul escape, Tian Mozi didn't even bring his storage pouch. He had only quickly grabbed a few spiritual artifacts and magic treasures.
Now, losing the White Bone Stele for no reason, he naturally felt a deep pang of regret. However, Chu Xuan did not immediately take it. Instead, he let the White Bone Stele hover in mid-air, and the two of them fell into a strange silence.
"Young friend, you don't want it?" Tian Mozi finally broke the silence.
Chu Xuan shook his head. "I know well the history of the White Bone Stele that Senior Tian Mozi once wielded. However, this White Bone Stele could have come into your hands through another means."
Tian Mozi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Chu Xuan's gaze grew sharper. "You severely wounded the real Tian Mozi and seized the White Bone Stele!"
Tian Mozi's expression froze. "I have already erased the soul-blood mark from the White Bone Stele."
Chu Xuan nodded slowly, then wrapped the White Bone Stele in his spiritual energy and placed it into his storage pouch. Without hesitation, he turned and flew away. Before leaving, he tossed over one final remark. "I still don't believe you are the real Tian Mozi! You are a demonic impostor! I, He Liang, will find the true Senior Tian Mozi and return this White Bone Stele to him!"
Tian Mozi was furious, nearly spitting blood. This brat was infuriating beyond measure!
"He Liang, I will remember you. Even if that name is fake, you'd better hope I don't catch you."
Tian Mozi ground his teeth in frustration. This was the first time since his ascension to Deity Transformation that he had been robbed by a cultivator lower in rank than himself! The most frustrating part? This whole disaster was of his own making...
"I suppose I'll just stay here and wait… wait for a weaker, luckier fool to cross my path," Tian Mozi muttered in irritation.
...
On the other side, Chu Xuan swiftly made his way back to the Great Spirit Stone Mine. The area around the mine was now teeming with Taotie Tree roots, though fortunately, the mine hadn't been completely overrun by the Wood Corpses.
However, upon inspection, he realized the spiritual stones here were nearly depleted. The remaining scraps were nothing more than small spiritual stones. It was almost mined out.
As Chu Xuan was about to return to Blue Star with the last of the spiritual stones, a sudden explosive noise echoed from the horizon. He stepped out of the mine and looked up at the sky.
To his shock, he saw a giant hand made of earth and stone suddenly reach down and rip out a gray sapling. It was clearly the last Taotie Tree sapling.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Taotie Tree had deeply embedded roots, but the earth-and-stone giant hand wielded an immense force. No matter how much the Taotie Tree struggled, it was futile. The sapling was being slowly extracted from the ground. The ground once again trembled under the might of the uprooting. Finally, with a loud crash, the Taotie Tree was fully uprooted.
At this moment, the Taotie Tree roots and Wood Corpses that had been rampaging throughout the area fell silent. It was clear that the Heavenly Metal Battlefield no longer had any Taotie Trees left.
"The demonic tree has been eradicated. The sealed teleportation array will soon reopen. You are all advised to leave promptly, do not linger."
A voice like muffled thunder echoed across the sky. The voice was gender-neutral, neither male nor female, and it reverberated endlessly, spreading throughout the entire Heavenly Metal Battlefield.
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
So it's true? If that's the case, he could finally return to Mystic Azure Star! He would no longer need to stay in this Heavenly Metal Battlefield.
Despite the excitement, Chu Xuan remained cautious. What if it was a trap to deceive them? Better to stay cautious, just in case.
...
A few days later, Shang Xingchen arrived at the Great Spirit Stone Mine. It was the second time they met.
Shang Xingchen smiled, "Sect Master, I am relieved to see that you are unharmed. The teleportation array will reopen soon. What do you think, Sect Master?"
Chu Xuan studied him subtly. For some reason, even now, he could still sense a faint yet undeniable threat coming from Shang Xingchen.
Chu Xuan smiled, "With the teleportation array reopening, the first batch will leave first. Fellow daoists can go ahead. I'll stay behind and cover everyone's retreat."
Shang Xingchen immediately understood the implied meaning in his words and nodded in agreement.
Chu Xuan suddenly spoke up, "The recent tremors have unearthed many buried treasures. I'm sure Elder Shang has found some good fortune as well?"
Shang Xingchen quickly shook his head. "My luck is average. I only found a few bottles of pills and some talismans—nothing particularly extraordinary. However, Wei Ji... he not only narrowly escaped the Deity Transformation level wooden corpse's attack, but he also stumbled upon the meditation site of a high-ranking Deity Transformation monk. I suspect that he at least found a relic, though I don't know the details beyond that."
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
A relic? It was said that when a Deity Transformation monk passed away, their relic would be formed. The demonic path had secret techniques to turn it into a demonic relic.
Carrying a demonic relic could neutralize some of the karma one had accumulated. When the Heavenly Tribulation came again, it would naturally reduce the tribulation's intensity.
In short, a demonic relic was a rare treasure that increased the success rate of Deity Transformation. However, they were even rarer and harder to obtain.
Chu Xuan smiled. "Elder Wei is fortunate. Where is he now? We, the three of us, are disciples of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. We should stay together and move forward as one."
Shang Xingchen chuckled. "Elder Wei's injuries have healed. It seems he absorbed quite a bit of spiritual Qi from the spirit stones, and his strength has returned to the Nascent Soul stage."
Chu Xuan's expression was tinged with regret. "That's good... very good."
It was unfortunate he couldn't get a look at the relic.
With the teleportation array still not reopened, Chu Xuan immediately began wandering around the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. The recent tremors had led to the emergence of various treasures.
Earlier, when he was far from the Dark Palace, Chu Xuan had already witnessed many long-buried treasures being unearthed. However, at that time, he had been in too much of a hurry, and the danger had been far too great to take the time to gather those treasures.
Now, with the Dark Palace gone and the Taotie Tree uprooted, the two Deity Transformation experts—one dead, the other severely wounded—the Heavenly Metal Battlefield no longer held any threats for him. Naturally, it was the perfect opportunity for him to scour the land and recover what he had previously lost.
After several days of exploration, Chu Xuan effortlessly found many cultivator corpses. Some of them were wearing ancient Daoist robes, while others hailed from sects long destroyed.
From these corpses, Chu Xuan had found numerous spiritual sense jade slips. After skimming through them, his knowledge base had expanded considerably. In addition to dozens of cultivator corpses, his greatest find was a number of broken magic treasures.
Broken magic treasures were no problem. They could be fed to gu insect Gangsi. The ones in better condition could be repaired.
Chu Xuan had his eye on several pieces of relatively intact magic treasures, intending to take them back to a refiner for repairs. Aside from that, there was little else of interest.
Chu Xuan had not, like Wei Ji, accidentally stumbled upon the meditation site of a senior monk. That was truly a regret.
...
One day, rumblings echoed from every corner of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Beams of light shot into the sky as the teleportation arrays activated. Cultivators were elated, rushing toward the arrays. After being trapped in this hellish battlefield for so long, they could finally return home.
Once back in their respective cultivation stars, they would once again rise to the ranks of powerful Nascent Soul experts, revered by all, rather than being treated like stray dogs, powerless and desperate due to the lack of spiritual Qi.
Chu Xuan did not immediately approach. Instead, he observed from a distance.
Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji shared his sentiments, both lingering at a distance, their thoughts unreadable.
Chu Xuan glanced around and noticed Ximen Changqing, Kang Jia, Xiao Xian, and others standing not far away. None of them entered the teleportation array immediately; they all remained, watching from a distance.
Chu Xuan wasn't surprised that others had not yet entered. However, he was a little taken aback by Kang Jia's inaction.
"Shangguan He is missing. Perhaps he's perished," someone muttered nearby. "With Senior Brother's death, Kang Jia must have gained quite a bit of experience from it. He's likely become more shrewd and cautious."
Chu Xuan didn't dwell on it.
"Others' affairs are none of my concern."
His gaze shifted to the light barrier of the teleportation array, and seeing no abnormalities, he finally relaxed.
"Let's go."
He turned to look at Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, who nodded and immediately followed. The three of them stepped through the light barrier, and the surroundings spun wildly for a moment. Before long, the world before their eyes cleared, and the solid ground beneath their feet confirmed they had arrived.
Chu Xuan took a deep breath, immediately feeling the abundant spiritual Qi in the air. Looking around, he saw nothing but familiar scenery.
The arrival of Chu Xuan and his two companions stunned the disciples of the Heavenly Infinite Sect gathered in the square. After a brief moment of astonishment, the disciples knelt down in unison.
"Greetings, Sect Master! Greetings, Elders!"
Chu Xuan nodded indifferently, casually instructing, "Tell Elder Shi to wait for me in the main hall. And both of you, please join me there."
Moments later, in the main hall of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen, and Wei Ji met with the delayed Shi Juntian.
Shi Juntian was drenched in sweat. He had never imagined that Chu Xuan and the others would survive and return! The battles in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield were so brutal that they somehow managed to make it out alive.
Upon sensing their presence, he was immediately shocked to find that Chu Xuan's aura had become unfathomable, like the depths of the sea—seemingly far beyond his own. It was clear that Chu Xuan had experienced even more fortuitous encounters in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, greatly improving his strength.
Before Chu Xuan could speak, Shi Juntian immediately exclaimed, "Heavens have mercy! Sect Master, you have finally returned! The Heavenly Infinite Sect cannot go a single day without its master! I've been exercising the power of acting Sect Master for far too long. Now, I return the position to you!"
He bowed deeply and didn't raise his head.
Chu Xuan smiled faintly, "Elder Shi, you've worked hard during my absence. But I have no intention of wasting time on sect affairs. There are still many things that will require your continued effort, Elder Shi."
Hearing this, Elder Shi let out a quiet sigh of relief. He finally raised his head, understanding that Chu Xuan's words meant he was not being held accountable for the interim period and could continue with his duties.
"Thank you for your trust, Sect Master!" Shi Juntian spoke with a deep voice.
Chu Xuan casually replied, "The other elders have perished in the extraterritorial battlefield. For now, the Golden Core disciples will follow you three Nascent Soul elders in their cultivation. Once new Nascent Soul cultivators join the Heavenly Infinite Sect, we will discuss this matter further."
"Understood." Shi Juntian nodded repeatedly.
"I am weary," Chu Xuan said, waving his hand. "I will retreat into seclusion for a time."
With that, he rose and left the hall. He had gained much during his time in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield and needed to return to Blue Star to inspect everything carefully.
...
Blue Star, Water Curtain Cave.
The first thing Chu Xuan did was take out the White Bone Stele. He had been worried that the stele might carry some mark left by Tian Mozi, which was why he hadn't dared to take it out from his storage bag until now. Now that he was on Blue Star, separated by two realms, even if Tian Mozi had tampered with it, he no longer had to worry about being threatened.
As expected, Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense into the stele, finding it completely empty. Just as Tian Mozi had claimed, he had indeed removed all the soul blood marks from the treasure.
"This White Bone Stele is a magic treasure that must be forged by cultivators of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect who wish to enter Nascent Soul stage in the path of White Bone Dao," Chu Xuan mused.
"By using this treasure, the power of the White Bone Dao spells would be significantly enhanced. However, I do not possess the secret arts of the White Bone Dao, which is a bit of a regret."
Chu Xuan wasn't overly concerned. He had accumulated plenty of contributions to the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, so he could exchange them for a White Bone Dao technique to supplement his cultivation in the future.
Moreover, even without the technique, this White Bone Stele was still an exceptionally strong defense-type magic treasure in its own right!
Without hesitation, Chu Xuan began the ritual to refine the stele. It wasn't long before he had infused it with his soul blood marks.
"Hoo, come and try it!" Chu Xuan laughed heartily as he called for Hoo.
Hoo, like a wild bull, charged over immediately.
Chu Xuan threw the White Bone Stele into the air. The stele expanded rapidly in the wind, quickly growing to a size of five zhang.
Hoo charged at the stele with all his might. The ground trembled violently as he collided with it. However, the White Bone Stele remained completely unmoved, with only a few bone fragments falling from it!