Translator: CinderTL
[Xu Sanyan]
[Age: 23/1658]
[Realm: Soul Refining Realm (Initial Stage)]
[Cultivation Method: Dao-Seizing Vitality Origin Sutra (Peak Stage)]
[Mystical Arts:
-Subduing the Heart-Ape Method (Peak Stage),
-Soaring Void Wind-Riding Technique (Peak Stage),
-Soul Condensation Technique (Peak Stage),
-Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force (Peak Stage),
-Purple Mountain Heart-Planting Art (Peak Stage),
-Detailed Explanation of the Soul-Gathering and Illumination-Preserving Grand Formation (Uninitiated)...]
[Techniques:
-Perfect Circle Stance (Peak Stage),
-Three Tigers Subduing Dragon Saber (Peak Stage),
-Horse Appraisal Technique (Peak Stage)...]
[Vitality: 2558]
Xu Sanyan nodded in satisfaction as he gazed at the panel he hadn't seen in a while. Though its effectiveness had gradually diminished as his cultivation level increased, it remained an invaluable asset.
While it couldn't directly boost his cultivation, it allowed him to rapidly master various mystical arts. If he so desired, he could learn all the myriad arts of cultivation.
"Come on, let me see your limits!"
Xu Sanyan's mind stirred. The Vitality on his panel began to drain rapidly, and a flood of insights into formations surged into his consciousness. The sheer volume of information overwhelmed him.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, a splitting headache gripped Xu Sanyan. It felt as if his brain couldn't process the deluge of information and was malfunctioning.
His divine soul power began to drain at an alarming rate. His face turned deathly pale, and beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead. Xu Sanyan roared hoarsely, "Stop! Stop it now!"
The Vitality drain ceased, and the insights abruptly halted. Xu Sanyan was drenched in cold sweat, as if he had just been pulled from water.
He collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at the sunset. His mind was in utter chaos, flooded with countless insights that his brain struggled to absorb.
He hadn't reached the panel's limits, but he had certainly reached his own.
The excessive depletion of his divine soul power had triggered a searing pain in his brain, identical to the aftereffects of using the Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force—a consequence of massive soul power expenditure.
Xu Sanyan's fingers trembled as he slowly retrieved a soul crystal from his storage pouch and absorbed it.
After a long while, the sky had completely darkened. The soul crystal had crumbled into dust, scattering across the ground. Only then did he begin to feel somewhat recovered.
"It seems I really can't recklessly advance my cultivation in the future..."
Xu Sanyan's heart still pounded with lingering fear. If he hadn't noticed something was wrong and stopped immediately, his head might have exploded.
The Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation contained an overwhelming amount of information. Created by four immortals, it encompassed countless variations and endless possibilities. Xu Sanyan found it impossible to digest all at once and could only approach it step by step.
He glanced at his panel. The Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation had advanced from "Uninitiated" to "Initiate." After expending such tremendous effort, he had only made a small advancement, and it had nearly cost him his life.
Moreover, it had consumed nearly a thousand points of Vitality!
"I'll take a break for now..."
Xu Sanyan sighed and placed the booklet back into his storage pouch.
The booklet was thin, containing only a limited amount of written content. But formations were like that—requiring one to delve into deep understanding and intuitive comprehension.
The seemingly simple formation diagram in the booklet contained over a hundred variations. Xu Sanyan devoted himself to comprehending it, draining his mental energy.
This confirmed that Zuoqiu Zhen hadn't deceived him—this was truly a treasure.
However, the Detailed Explanation of the Soul-Gathering and Illumination-Preserving Grand Formation wasn't comprehensive. For instance, it omitted the formation for condensing ghost immortals and seizing the heavenly dao, revealing Zuoqiu Zhen's continued caution.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Sanyan slung the secret realm fruit over his shoulder and headed out of the city. His primary concern remained the war between the Dog Clan and the Snake Clan. With nothing pressing at hand, he decided to check on the situation.
Instead of returning to the low mountain from his previous visit, he chose a path in the opposite direction. Entering the secret realm from different locations each time would reduce the risk of detection.
The Chaotic Cloud Mountains were eerily silent in the dead of night. Xu Sanyan navigated through the dense forest, soon arriving at the foot of a cliff. He found a secluded spot and began digging a pit.
Within minutes, the deep pit was complete. He rolled a massive boulder to block the entrance, then concealed it with vines and withered leaves, leaving no trace of its existence.
"Snake Clan, I'm coming..."
Whoosh—
His figure vanished into the darkness of the cave.
Dog Clan
A day had passed since Xu Sanyan's departure. Xun Ancai was leading her people toward the clan chief's location with frantic urgency.
The Dog Clan had mobilized virtually everyone. Apart from the elderly and children, only a few remained to guard the Bear Clan prisoners; the rest had joined the expedition.
Everyone knew that if the clan chief and her forces fell, the Dog Clan would be doomed. The remaining members would be utterly unable to withstand the Snake Clan's assault.
Meanwhile,
The Dog Clan Chieftain, her face etched with anxiety, led her people through the forest. She had long abandoned any thought of hunting; Snake Clan reinforcements were closing in.
The first to arrive was Tu Niang, the Snake Clan Chief, a formidable warrior who had attained Seven Blessings.
Tu Niang arrived just as the Flying Eagle had been driven off, leaving behind a battlefield strewn with corpses. Many Snake Clan warriors hiding in the shadows had also been slain, leaving only a handful of survivors.
The Dog Clan had suffered grievous losses as well. Originally numbering over a hundred elite warriors, each possessing at least Three Blessings, their ranks had been halved to around fifty. Even fewer were likely to return alive.
During the initial night raid on the Snake Clan's encampment, the Dog Clan suffered about ten casualties. When Snake Clan reinforcements arrived, they lost another dozen. Finally, in the fierce battle against the Flying Eagles, compounded by ambushes from Snake Clan remnants, their losses mounted to this devastating number.
Even so, if they could safely return to their tribe, it would still be considered a major victory, as the Snake Clan's losses were far greater.
But fate had other plans. The Snake Clan Chief arrived.
Though she stood alone, the Dog Clan Chieftain knew Snake Clan reinforcements were close behind. If they didn't escape quickly, they would all be trapped.
Nearby, Tu Niang's face twisted with grief and fury as she surveyed the pitiful remnants of her tribe's elite warriors. Her rage burned hotter with each passing moment. Gritting her teeth, she hissed,
"Xun Baicao! I'll make you pay with your life!"
Xun Baicao, the Dog Clan Chieftain, didn't respond, focusing solely on escape.
Tu Niang dared not pursue too closely, contenting herself with harassing attacks while awaiting the arrival of the main Snake Clan force. Though she was a Seven Blessings powerhouse, she knew that if the Dog Clan warriors surrounded her, she would likely meet her end.
"After today, the Dog Clan will cease to exist!" Tu Niang cursed venomously.
Xun Yang and Xun Hua followed closely behind the clan chief, their faces etched with anxiety. Days of relentless fighting had taken their toll, even on their robust physiques.
Xun Baicao saw that her people were at their breaking point, and she knew that if they continued like this, they would all perish here. Recalling the Old Clan Chief's final instructions, she felt a pang of guilt. Turning to the two of them, she said,
"If I don't make it back, Xun Yang will become the new clan chief. Xun Hua, assist him diligently. The 'Praying to the Gods Method' is buried in the corner of the cave wall. Study it carefully."
Xun Yang's eyes dimmed, and he remained silent. He knew the best course of action was for the clan chief to hold Tu Niang at bay, buying them time to escape. Yet he couldn't bear the thought of abandoning her.
"If I die, you must lure Xu Sanyan with a blessing, make him kill the Snake Clan Chief, and then kill him as well."
Xun Baicao stopped walking, her gaze heavy as she looked at Xun Yang. "Remember, you must kill him. These are the Old Clan Chief's final words."
"Understood!"
Without another word, Xun Baicao turned to face Tu Niang, her six-headed dog at her side.
"Go now! Hurry!"
(End of the Chapter)
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