In the Southern Region, the Five Great Sects each have their own specialties.
The Purple Mist Sect excels in Pill Refining, the Mountain Movers Sect in Artifact Refining, the Tai Xuan Sect in Formations, the Carefree Sect in Talisman Crafting, and the Snake Catchers Sect in Beast Taming.
The Heavenly Puppet Sect specializes in puppets.
When these skills are combined and coordinated, they can achieve the effect of defeating many with few, and the weak overcoming the strong.
Xu Hei had anticipated this scene long ago. The Mountain Embrace Seal just now was merely a feint. Almost simultaneously, a white lightning flashed by like a startling swan, precisely the Spirit-Breaking Sword.
This sword pierced through the cracked light formation without any hindrance, making a turn in front of Zhou Xu's neck.
"Slash!"
His head soared into the sky, and the defensive magical treasures on his body didn't even have time to activate before he fell to the ground, dead and gone.
His storage bag also disappeared, taken away by the Spirit-Breaking Sword, which burrowed underground.
"Zhou Xu is dead?"
"What was that just now? Such speed!"
"Damn it! Who did this?"
The members of the Carefree Sect were furious and shocked, but they had no time to investigate further, as the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe was already approaching.
Taking advantage of the broken defensive light formation, they stepped into the sky, crushing forward like war chariots that could shatter mountains and rivers.
"All members, perform the Elephant Roar!"
Man Jin led the charge, raising his long trunk, spewing hot air towards the crowd.
"Roar!"
The elephant herd also performed the Elephant Roar in unison, sound waves sweeping across the sky, stirring up a violent storm, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
The people of the Carefree Sect were blown about, losing their formation. In previous battles, they relied on their agility, fighting while retreating, never engaging head-on.
Even when attacked by sound waves, they could use formations to block them.
But once the formation was gone, their formation was immediately scattered, plunging from a stalemate into an abyss, utterly defeated.
Xu Hei remained hidden underground, not taking further action.
There were too many people here, and he had just killed someone and shattered the Tai Xuan Sect's formation, which was already his limit.
If he revealed the Soul-absorbing Flag and exposed his true identity, being seen by those Snake Catchers could lead to unforeseen trouble.
Xu Hei was not familiar with the current situation and didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, becoming a target.
This battlefield had caught the attention of the Grand Elder, Yin Mingzi, who occasionally glanced over, a strange expression on his face.
"Slash!"
Before long, another elder of the Carefree Sect was pierced through the chest by an ivory tusk, falling lifeless.
"Heh, humans, it seems your side will be the first to lose!"
The old demon monkey laughed sinisterly.
Yin Mingzi's expression remained unchanged, outwardly still engaged with the old monkey, but in reality, he was paying more attention to the Carefree Sect's side.
"This old bastard is indeed watching me!"
Xu Hei's gaze was cold, his intuition sharp. He could tell at a glance if someone was looking for him.
Xu Hei surveyed the surroundings, comparing them to a map. The ancient tomb was nearby.
The humans' motive was clear: to seize the tomb, which is why they were fighting the demonic beasts.
However, there was one thing he couldn't understand.
The humans had no reinforcements. With so few people, how did they dare to engage in a great battle with the demonic beasts?
Isn't this seeking annihilation?
Though people die for wealth, you are cultivators. Knowing you can't win, why throw your lives away? It's incomprehensible.
Xu Hei thought it over and realized something was wrong.
He furrowed his brows and retreated a thousand meters away.
"The defeat of the Carefree Sect is only a matter of time. Let's see what changes occur."
Xu Hei took out a pill, held it in his mouth, and focused his mind, ready to summon a magical treasure at any moment to guard against unexpected changes.
As time passed, more and more members of the Carefree Sect fell, their bodies plummeting from the sky.
The Carefree Sect was anxious, but Yin Mingzi remained calm as ever.
"I won't play with you anymore!"
The Carefree Sect's ancestor, Li Yao, his face ashen, took out a talisman and burned it, preparing to flee.
Suddenly, Man Jin flung countless ivory tusks into the sky, crisscrossing and spreading cold, forming a frozen zone in the air.
"All members, take the pills!" Man Jin shouted.
In an instant, all the Foundation Establishment Stage elephants of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe took out milky white pills and swallowed them.
Demonic beasts taking pills was unexpected for everyone.
They didn't think much of it, as pills were crafted by humans for themselves, having little effect on demonic beasts, especially such large creatures like elephants, where the efficacy would be diluted to the extreme.
However, Xu Hei, hidden underground, had his pupils contract.
This milky white pill looked somewhat familiar.
Xu Hei quickly took out a jade bottle with the words "Bone Strengthening Pills" written on it, containing the same milky white pills.
"No way?"
Xu Hei swallowed hard.
Were these pills refined by Xu Bai?
At this moment, after taking the Bone Strengthening Pills, the elephant herd erupted with dazzling white light, a strange energy emerging within them.
Their tusks grew at a terrifying speed, shooting out like winding dragons, stabbing towards Li Yao, the ancestor.
One zhang, two zhang, three zhang... ten zhang, twenty zhang...
"What kind of monster is this?!"
Everyone was horrified.
Xu Hei was also dumbfounded.
Their expressions were as if witnessing a miracle, eyes wide, almost popping out, even the distant battle paused, all eyes turning here.
"Haotian Divine Shield!"
Li Yao took out a golden shield, quickly forming an eggshell, enveloping himself. Man Jin's tusks grew to thirty zhang, wrapping around Li Yao's eggshell layer by layer, with countless tusks stabbing from behind.
"Boom boom boom..."
The shield trembled incessantly, and with a loud crash, it shattered into pieces. Li Yao's form changed rapidly, slipping through the gaps in the tusks, but Man Jin was prepared, letting out a roar, causing him to momentarily freeze.
"Slash!"
Li Yao's back was pierced by a tusk, blood gushing, as more tusks stabbed him, turning him into a sieve.
"Ancestor!"
The Carefree Sect's crowd screamed in horror.
"..."
Xu Hei was completely stunned.
Not only him, everyone was stunned, caught off guard by the sudden change.
Xu Hei instantly understood. Xu Bai had not only tested the pills on him but also on Man Jin. The effect was so shocking, he didn't know what to say.
Bone Strengthening Pills, damn Bone Strengthening Pills!
Yin Mingzi's face alternated between green and red. He no longer hesitated, directly taking out a token and activating it.
This matter was too bizarre. Initially planning to wait, but now he couldn't delay any longer.
"Buzz!"
The token in Yin Mingzi's hand floated up, rising into the sky, emitting a white light.
Within it, an immense divine sense pressure was born, growing stronger, sweeping out like a storm in all directions.
This divine sense's strength far exceeded everyone present, both humans and demonic beasts.
It was like ants facing a mountain, a tsunami, causing all beings to tremble, feeling an irresistible force.
"What powerful cultivation, who is this?"
The old demon monkey's face changed dramatically, retreating hastily.
...152....
The expressions of Man Jin and the other elephants changed dramatically. They quickly retracted their tusks and retreated. At the same time, a fire ignited within them, expelling traces of medicinal residue from their bodies.
As the residue was expelled, their tusks slowly retracted.
The pressure was too overwhelming, beyond what mere willpower could overcome. They could fight those of the same realm, but facing someone a level higher meant death if they didn't retreat.
As the beasts retreated, Xu Hei had already used all his strength to flee into the distance.
At this moment, a phantom image of a middle-aged man emerged from the token, gradually becoming solid.
This man was dressed in white, holding a cup of tea in one hand while the other was behind his back. His eyes were deep, like the sun, moon, and stars, as if he had experienced the vicissitudes of life, yet his face showed no signs of aging.
The moment they saw him, the demon kings felt their scalps tingle, their expressions horrified, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Qin Xuanji, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, stood as one of the strongest figures at the pinnacle between the two nations.
He alone could rival ten thousand troops!
The demonic beasts instantly lost their will to fight and retreated, forming a group.
The old monkey king had thought that elders of the Heavenly Puppet Sect couldn't come here, but this shattered his perception.
Though he didn't know if it was an avatar or some other method, the pressure was something they couldn't withstand.
After Qin Xuanji appeared, he didn't take any action, merely releasing his divine sense, sweeping it underground.
The range of this divine sense was vast, far exceeding any Core Formation Stage cultivator; no one could escape its search.
At this moment, Xu Hei, who was fleeing, could clearly feel a strong sense of being watched rapidly approaching from behind.
"That divine sense seems to be targeting me!"
"The range is too large; I can't escape!"
In a split second, many thoughts flashed through Xu Hei's mind, and he made a decisive decision.
Xu Hei made a bold move, taking out a Transformation Pill and swallowing it in one gulp, quickly refining it with the Demon God Cauldron.
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At the same time, he didn't stop, fully activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, sprinting toward the distance.
Facing such an unknown powerhouse, the Invisibility Talisman was definitely ineffective. Xu Hei didn't expect Hei Huang's talisman to protect him from anyone.
But if he wanted to avoid being discovered, he had to disguise himself.
Ordinary disguises wouldn't work; he had to rely on unconventional methods.
Thus, Xu Hei took a huge risk by swallowing the Transformation Pill.
After being refined by the Demon God Cauldron, the Transformation Pill quickly took effect.
Xu Hei's body rapidly shrank, changing from slender to short and stout. His bones and flesh made crackling sounds as his appearance altered.
"Pop!"
Next, two legs grew from the front of Xu Hei's abdomen, one on each side.
Xu Hei didn't know what creature he would become, but the creatures Xu Bai created were always random. He could only hope he wouldn't turn into something too bizarre.
"Pop!"
In the next moment, two more legs grew from the back of Xu Hei's abdomen.
A total of four legs sprawled around his short, stout body. His neck also shrank, and his body became smooth and rounded, with his black-gold dragon scales turning pitch black.
In just a brief moment, Xu Hei transformed into a four-legged lizard.
A four-legged lizard is a lizard, also known as Shi Longzi.
Realizing he wasn't changing anymore, Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. At least he had become a normal beast, not something grotesque.
According to Xu Bai, he should be able to revert back afterward.
Soon, the divine sense swept over, and Xu Hei removed the Invisibility Talisman to avoid suspicion.
He lay on the ground, breathing steadily, pretending to be a normal hibernating lizard, as the divine sense passed over him.
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The divine sense didn't pause and continued forward after passing over Xu Hei, retracting only at its limit.
In the distance, at the center of the battlefield.
Qin Xuanji's expression remained calm, showing no emotion, but a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes.
Earlier, his divine sense had swept across a thousand-mile radius, discovering a vast number of creatures underground, numbering in the millions, with cultivation levels ranging from high to low.
The strongest were at the Core Formation Stage, while the weakest were mere mortals.
But he found no trace of the suspected Flood Dragon.
Now, with the Chu Kingdom fallen, Qin Xuanji's focus returned to these trivial matters. Besides tracking down rebels and bandits, the Flood Dragon intrigued him greatly.
He looked at the barely alive Carefree Sect ancestor, Li Yao, and calmly asked, "What happened just now? Tell me in detail."
Li Yao dared not delay and quickly recounted the events.
However, Xu Hei acted too swiftly for him to notice any details, and Zhou Xu was already dead.
Afterward, Xu Hei made no further moves.
After talking for a long time, it amounted to nothing.
"Hmph, forget it."
Qin Xuanji shook his head, no longer concerned.
In fact, he had a more important matter to attend to here, one that surpassed everything else, even his attack on the Chu Kingdom was to pave the way for it.
Compared to that, rebels, bandits, and the Flood Dragon were insignificant.
He looked at the demon kings in the distance and spoke loudly, "Esteemed demon kings, my Heavenly Puppet Sect has important matters to attend to here."
"Our sect's third-generation ancestor had ties with your demon lord. Today, we won't make things difficult for you. You only need to retreat ten thousand miles and find another place to reside. Once the matter is settled, this area will be returned."
Qin Xuanji's voice was calm and unruffled.
The demonic beasts exchanged glances, falling into a deathly silence.
The old monkey king remained silent for a long time before speaking in a deep voice, "How long?"
"A year at the shortest, three to five years at the longest," Qin Xuanji replied flatly.
The old demon monkey fell silent.
A year was manageable, but if it dragged on, how would they survive? Moreover, the other party hadn't specified a concrete timeframe. What if it exceeded five years?
"What?"
Qin Xuanji's gaze flickered as he looked at the old monkey king, "Do you have any objections?"
Just a look made the old monkey king's heart tremble, forcing him to retreat several steps, spitting blood.
The difference in realms was terrifying!
This left the demon kings horrified. The old monkey king was at least mid-Golden Core, yet he couldn't withstand even a glance.
"We have no choice but to yield. Qin Xuanji didn't go for the kill, so we shouldn't be ungrateful," the old monkey king said faintly.
"We have no other option," the Purple Lightning Lion King muttered bitterly.
"The territories deep within Wu Mountain are already occupied by other demon kings. We either fight for them or develop on the outskirts."
"Damn humans, they all deserve to die!"
Despite their unwillingness and anger, the demon kings were helpless.
The opponent's strength was too overwhelming for them to contend with.
As long as someone stronger could drive you out of your territory, saying they'll borrow it for three to five years without outright seizing it was already courteous.
Of course, Qin Xuanji might have his own concerns, preventing him from acting recklessly.
However, the demon kings didn't dare to gamble, nor did they see the need to take such a huge risk to offend the immensely powerful Heavenly Puppet Sect.
"Let's hope you keep your word," the old monkey king said, staring at Qin Xuanji.
"As long as you don't cause trouble, I'll naturally keep my promise," Qin Xuanji replied.
After exchanging a few words, the demon kings had no choice but to abandon the area and leave.
Man Jin's territory seemed to be right at the edge of the ten thousand miles, uncertain if they needed to relocate.
Just then, Qin Xuanji's gaze subtly glanced at him, causing Man Jin to shiver internally and hastily speed up his departure.
.....153....
Yin Mingzi hesitated for a moment and tentatively asked, "Senior, that Snake Demon, what exactly is it..."
"This is a matter of our sect, you need not concern yourself," Qin Xuanji said indifferently.
"Yes!"
Yin Mingzi felt a shock in his heart and quickly nodded.
He had always been speculating whether that Snake Demon was secretly nurtured by the Heavenly Puppet Sect or was wild, and he had been feeling somewhat dissatisfied.
Now, hearing Qin Xuanji's words, his heart was greatly shaken, and he no longer had any stray thoughts.
In fact, Qin Xuanji had always intended to suppress the Snake Catchers Sect; it was just that the appearance of the Snake Demon was perfectly timed, causing chaos in the Snake Catchers Sect, and it just so happened to practice puppet techniques.
Qin Xuanji simply let things take their course, allowing others to speculate.
"Additionally, the Mountain Movers Sect has been annihilated. I have arranged for the Iron Mountain Sect to take its place. From now on, the Five Great Sects of the Southern Region will be the Iron Mountain Sect, Snake Catchers Sect, Tai Xuan Sect, Carefree Sect, and Purple Mist Sect."
Qin Xuanji spoke slowly.
These seemingly calm words stirred up a storm in everyone's hearts, leaving them all in shock and disbelief.
The Mountain Movers Sect, a great sect that had stood for five hundred years, was just gone like that!
Gone without a trace, and Qin Xuanji didn't even explain how it happened.
As for the Iron Mountain Sect, it was a sect they had never even heard of, but it was undoubtedly a subordinate of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
Everyone's expressions changed dramatically, and a terrifying thought arose in their hearts—could they also be wiped out at any time and replaced?
When Qin Xuanji mentioned the Five Great Sects, he placed the Iron Mountain Sect first, even before the Snake Catchers Sect. Wasn't this hint obvious enough?
"This ancient relic is entrusted to you Five Great Sects to explore together. If there are any gains, I will reward you handsomely."
At this point, Qin Xuanji's gaze turned cold, and he said chillingly, "If anyone dares to hide anything, the Mountain Movers Sect will be your warning!"
After speaking, Qin Xuanji's figure quickly faded and completely disappeared, and the token shattered into two halves.
The people present were already chilled to the bone, a sense of fear and... powerlessness rising in their hearts.
Beside Yin Mingzi, an old man trembled and said, "Grand Elder, could it be that the Mountain Movers Sect was destroyed by Qin Xuanji..."
"Silence!" Yin Mingzi reprimanded sternly.
The old man immediately fell silent.
...
Deep underground in Wu Mountain.
Xu Hei remained motionless until the faint sense of crisis completely disappeared. After another night, he finally opened his eyes and burrowed underground.
Xu Hei reached a very deep place and examined himself.
At this moment, he had completely transformed into a four-legged lizard, both inside and out.
But Xu Hei knew that only his form had changed, not his essence.
"The Transformation Pill seems to contain an extremely special power that can change the body's structure but cannot alter bloodline and race."
Xu Hei could feel the presence of that power.
With a thought, steam began to rise from his body, and that invisible power was slowly expelled, turning into a stream of air and disappearing.
As the medicinal power dissipated, Xu Hei's body slowly returned to its original form, bones extending, limbs retracting.
This change in body structure was reversible.
However, the process was somewhat lengthy, and Xu Hei spent a full two hours expelling that power completely, reverting to his original snake form.
"Phew!" Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief.
Recalling the scene of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe consuming Bone Strengthening Pills, Xu Bai's pills weren't entirely useless.
The Transformation Pill, for him, could be used for disguise.
However, taking other pills still required utmost caution.
"The ancient tomb, better not go there for now. Let's see what Man Jin and the others have to say."
After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei left the place and headed straight for the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe's settlement.
...
At this moment, a group of uninvited guests appeared in the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe's settlement, erupting into a fierce battle.
The members of the Elephant Tribe were unprecedentedly furious, risking their lives, each one burning their blood and energy, pursuing the humans with reckless speed.
Because this group of humans had targeted their children.
For the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, this was an unforgivable crime, more infuriating than killing them!
Fortunately, Xu Hei had warned them, and the children didn't fall for it; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
"None of you will escape!"
Man Jin's Ice Soul Tusk flew out, transforming into a prison of ice and snow, trapping the crowd.
The elephant herd trampled the sky, charging forward with overwhelming momentum.
But these human cultivators were not easy to deal with either. Each one had bodies like iron, absurdly tough, all having practiced body-tempering techniques, capable of contending with demonic beasts in physical combat.
Although they couldn't compare to the Elephant Tribe, being hit wouldn't be fatal.
This was a combat style they had never seen before.
Moreover, among this group of people, there were actually two Core Formation Stage cultivators, who joined forces to fight Man Jin, battling back and forth.
"Leader of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, this is just a misunderstanding. How about we call it quits?"
One tall and strong man took out a chain, whipping it while sneering.
"That's right, we just came to visit, bringing some food for the children, with no ill intentions."
Another short and stout man also sneered, wielding a steel fork, stabbing continuously from a distance.
Man Jin, fighting two against one, showed no signs of falling behind, growing braver as the battle went on. He was willing to burn his life to bring these two thieves to justice.
At the same time, he was puzzled.
The strong ones of the Southern Region were mostly concentrated deep in Wu Mountain. Where did this sect come from, with a combat style they had never seen before?
This didn't seem like people from the Chu Kingdom.
"No matter who you are, today you will die!"
Man Jin's tusks charged forward, colliding with a large shield.
Suddenly, the large shield turned into a pool of sludge, quickly surging out, wrapping around Man Jin's tusks. The sludge continued to expand, growing larger and heavier.
Man Jin felt as if he were bearing the weight of a mountain, his speed drastically reduced.
"Today marks the founding of our Iron Mountain Sect. We must make a name for ourselves!"
The tall and strong man sneered, his eyes filled with cruel bloodlust, staring at Man Jin and the other beasts.
"We originally planned to capture your children as hostages to make things easier, but since they didn't take the bait, using force isn't out of the question."
The short iron man also revealed his true intentions, knowing that Man Jin was about to unleash a deadly move, and he retreated in advance, as if everything was within their calculations.
"Iron Mountain Sect..."
The sludge on Man Jin's tusks grew larger, becoming a mountain. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake it off. His body grew heavier, the sludge covering his nose and eyes, gradually spreading to his entire head.
"Heh, this is a third-grade mid-tier magical treasure, the Mountain-Covering Mud. Unless you break your tusks, it will only grow larger until it buries your entire body."
The tall and strong man sneered. This magical treasure was specifically designed to counter beasts like the Elephant Tribe that relied purely on strength, a perfect counter for elephants, leaving them utterly helpless.
In fact, even breaking the tusks wouldn't help. Once it stuck, it couldn't be shaken off, only spreading over the entire body.
"Step back a few paces, this beast is about to go berserk, don't get hurt!"
The short man quickly retreated, knowing that Man Jin was about to unleash a deadly move, avoiding it in advance, as if everything was within their calculations.
....154....
The short man was named Tie Xiong, and the tall, strong man was named Tie Niu.
The two were brothers and founders of the Iron Mountain Gang, a faction in the Qin Kingdom.
The reason it was called the Iron Mountain Gang was that the Qin Kingdom only allowed one sect, the Heavenly Puppet Sect, while others could only be called gangs.
Just a week ago, they were informed that they were allowed to rename themselves as the Iron Mountain Sect and expand into the Chu Kingdom, with a large amount of resources provided, which delighted the two brothers.
Without hesitation, they led their gang members to the Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom.
The third-tier magical treasure before them, Mountain-Covering Mud, was one of the resources they received.
This item was highly effective against clumsy, strength-type demonic beasts, specifically designed to kill the Elephant Tribe.
"Roar!!"
Man Jin let out an earth-shattering roar, terrifying sound waves swept through, causing the Mountain-Covering Mud to tremble continuously. Instead of being shaken off, it spread rapidly, growing even larger.
"Hahaha, useless, useless, useless!"
Tie Niu laughed heartily, never feeling so exhilarated.
Just arriving in the Southern Region, they were about to kill a Golden Core giant elephant, an unprecedented sense of achievement.
At this moment, it seemed that Man Jin swallowed something.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!!"
From within the Mountain-Covering Mud, two tusks suddenly shot up, piercing through with terrifying speed.
"What kind of move is this?"
Tie Niu's eyes widened as he retreated rapidly. Fortunately, they were prepared and kept a safe distance, easily avoiding the tusks that grew explosively.
...
Deep in Wu Mountain.
There was a huge pool, nestled in a valley, its surface calm as a mirror, with no visible bottom.
No matter if a breeze blew or a stone was thrown in, the water's surface wouldn't ripple even slightly. The area was desolate, with not a single bird or beast in sight.
Who knows how much time passed.
A vulture landed on a crooked tree by the pool and said, "Master Demon Lord, after ten thousand years, the Divine Puppet Sect has returned."
The voice echoed.
After a long while, the pool, calm for ten thousand years, finally rippled slightly.
"Divine Puppet Sect... such distant memories."
An ancient voice slowly emerged, as if traversing the river of time, coming from the depths of history.
The vulture chuckled, "They want to retrieve the third-generation ancestor's belongings. What do you think?"
At that moment, a water column shot out from the pool, gradually condensing into a small humanoid form.
It was a baby, slowly growing into a child, then into a young man.
The young man opened his eyes, walked out of the pool naked, and his cultivation rapidly ascended from a mortal to the Qi Refining Stage, then to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Soon, his dantian's spiritual foundation compressed, true qi transformed into true essence, forming a Golden Core, reaching the Core Formation Stage.
Then, the Golden Core transformed into an infant form, the Elemental Infant stage!
But it wasn't over; the Elemental Infant rushed towards the young man's crown, seemingly to merge with his divine sense.
"Master Demon Lord, enough, enough! It's just a branch of the Divine Puppet Sect, the Heavenly Puppet Sect!"
The vulture hurriedly shouted.
"You should have said so earlier!"
The young man complained, and the Elemental Infant immediately shrank back, as if time reversed, turning back into a Golden Core, stopping at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Stage.
The young man took out a green robe and put it on, saying, "It's been a long time since I went out. How do I look?"
The vulture scrutinized him for a moment and said, "Master Demon Lord, your form is fine, but you look too young."
"What, should I become an old man?" the young man frowned, displeased.
The vulture trembled and quickly corrected, "No, no! You are still young, this is just right."
The green-robed young man nodded in satisfaction.
He pondered for a moment and quickly asked, "By the way, I haven't been out for ten thousand years. Will I be out of touch with the world? What if people say I'm inexperienced?"
"Also, what spells are modern people good at? Are there still many body cultivators?"
"What should I do to act like a senior expert?"
The young man continued to speak tirelessly.
The vulture smiled wryly, "Just say less."
"Sigh! Going out is such a hassle, sleeping is better."
The young man sighed, reluctantly walking into the distance.
...
At the edge of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe's territory.
Xu Hei rushed over from mid-air, seeing the battle ahead from afar.
"Humans again?"
Xu Hei's face darkened, and without hesitation, he used the jade slip left by the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion.
No matter what happened, calling for help was never wrong.
He used his divine sense to scan the area, finding two Core Formation stage cultivators and about twenty Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, with no one else nearby, not even the Snake Catchers Sect.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered; these two Core Formation stage individuals were strangers to him, not recognizing him.
This meant Xu Hei could act swiftly, cooperating with Man Jin to take down these two.
"Wait! Don't be impulsive!"
Xu Hei frowned, sensing something was off.
Previously, when he, Man Jin, and the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion attacked Rock Serpent City, it was surely known that he was associated with the Elephant Tribe.
So, could this attack on the Elephant Tribe be a trap to lure him out?
The Purple Lightning Thunder Lion hadn't appeared; could it have been attacked too?
Ever since Qin Xuanji appeared, Xu Hei had been uneasy, feeling watched. During the previous war between the two kingdoms, they had no time for him, but now, they were clearly devoting some effort to searching for him.
From the moment Qin Xuanji appeared, his divine sense targeted him, and Xu Hei noticed.
Humans are cunning, and as a key figure in the Qin Kingdom's forces, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Qin Xuanji was no simple character.
Such an existence, any move could be a trap.
Xu Hei took a deep breath, calmly considering his options. He couldn't just watch Man Jin be killed; he had to do something while ensuring he wasn't exposed.
Should he take the Transformation Pill and charge in?
No, impossible!
Xu Hei highly suspected that at this moment, anyone appearing to help Man Jin would prompt Qin Xuanji to emerge.
What should he do?
Qin Xuanji clearly wanted to capture him; it was an open scheme!
If he didn't show up, Man Jin would die!
Xu Hei felt unprecedented pressure, taking out the jade disk Hei Huang gave him. As expected, there was only this group of red dots in front of him, the enemy hidden well.
At this moment, Man Jin was under increasing pressure, the Mountain-Covering Mud already enveloping him entirely, trapping him, allowing only slow movement.
"Just wait for death!" Tie Niu sneered.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a cold gleam shot from the shadows.
A figure burst out from hiding, revealing itself, a sword gleaming as it slashed at Tie Niu's back, only to spark slightly.
Tie Niu glanced back, seeing an unremarkable young man, only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, unable to break his defense.
This person had been lurking nearby, unnoticed.
"Die!"
Tie Niu hesitated for just a second before swinging a palm to crush Xiao Chou's head.
"Boom!!"
A deafening collision echoed.
However, it wasn't Xiao Chou's head that was hit, but Tie Niu's head.
A long black shadow appeared instantly before Tie Niu, almost simultaneously with Xiao Chou.
It was a big black snake.
However, this snake's movement was so stealthy that he only saw Xiao Chou, not Xu Hei!
Without giving him any chance to react, a thick, scale-covered tail whipped fiercely at Tie Niu's face.
"Smack!!!"
The power of dragon bones and dragon scales combined erupted completely, smashing Tie Niu's face, blood splattering, teeth shattering. With a loud bang, Tie Niu spun in the air, flying back, crashing into a mountain rock.
The scene drew everyone's attention, faces aghast.
"Big brother!" the short Tie Xiong exclaimed.
"Boom!"
Tie Niu quickly burst out from the rock, his expression terrifying.
At this moment, his face was no longer recognizable, eyes, nose, and features all smashed, bones exposed.
Thanks to his cultivation of the Iron Mountain Sect's special technique, his physical body was extremely tough, preventing his head from being blown apart. Otherwise, anyone else might have lost their head from such a blow.
He was careless! He never expected the snake to be so fast, its physical attack so terrifying!
Tie Xiong's eyes flickered slightly as he took out a token.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Tie Niu stopped him, coldly saying, "Don't rush, let me deal with this snake!"
Tie Xiong nodded, putting the token away.
He knew his big brother was truly enraged.
....155.....
Xu Hei's eyes flickered. The token just now was meant to summon Qin Xuanji. The other party showed it to him briefly before putting it away again. What did that mean?
Looking down on him?
As for the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, he had to save them, no matter what schemes the other side might have, whether it was a trap or not, he had to act!
Man Jin had helped him more than once or twice, even saving his life in the Myriad Serpent Valley.
The old Xu Hei might have run away.
But the Xu Hei now was no longer someone who wouldn't act without a ten percent chance of success.
Some things, you do knowing they're impossible!
The only thing he didn't expect was that Xiao Chou had also come, using an Invisibility Talisman to lurk nearby, and even he hadn't noticed.
The two of them acted almost simultaneously, without any prior communication, purely by coincidence.
"What were you doing up there just now, offering yourself up?" Xu Hei transmitted his voice.
"The Chu Tian Alliance gave me a protective jade pendant that only activates when I'm near death," Xiao Chou replied.
"..." Xu Hei was speechless.
Xiao Chou paused and continued, "The Mountain Movers Sect was annihilated, not a single survivor left. I found out that the Heavenly Puppet Sect orchestrated this in secret, recalling their disciples to the sect and deliberately gathering all the experts from other sects to the Wu Mountain Range, leaving no support!"
Xiao Chou's voice was calm, but anyone could hear the fire in his heart.
"So, the Heavenly Puppet Sect is an accomplice?" Xu Hei asked in surprise.
"Not an accomplice, the mastermind! They are the root of all this!" Xiao Chou said.
Xu Hei was silent for a moment and then said, "Isn't the root of the problem being too weak?"
Xiao Chou was left speechless.
Their exchange was completed in an instant.
At this moment, Tie Niu swallowed a pill, and the wounds on his face slowly healed. He took out a chain, his gaze icy, and flicked his wrist.
"Whoosh!"
The chain unfurled, rushing forward like a long snake. Xu Hei summoned the Soul-absorbing Flag, and the spirit of the Jiao Python appeared instantly, biting onto the chain.
At the same time, the Black Dragon Pagoda appeared, consuming thirty percent of his True Qi, and crashed towards Man Jin.
This was Xu Hei's plan all along, to first help Man Jin break free.
Otherwise, for someone at the early Foundation Establishment Stage to go against a Core Formation Stage, a sneak attack might work, but if the opponent reacted, he would definitely not be a match.
"Boom!!!"
The Black Dragon Pagoda collided with the Mountain-Covering Mud. The mountain above Man Jin's head, rapidly expanding, was shattered like it had been struck by a meteor, with many pieces being sucked into the Black Dragon Pagoda.
"How can this thing swallow everything?" Xu Hei was astonished.
Such a scene was like a tidal wave in Tie Xiong's eyes.
"Impossible?"
Tie Xiong's face changed dramatically. He never expected the Mountain-Covering Mud to be shattered; it was a third-grade mid-tier Spiritual Treasure.
What exactly was that black pagoda?
"Roar!!"
Man Jin roared to the sky, and after breaking the seal, the fury in his chest erupted completely. Only the death of the opponent could vent his anger.
Tie Niu grabbed the spirit of the Jiao Python, smashed it with his fist, causing its body to dent. The Jiao Python's venom sprayed out, corroding a wisp of green smoke on him, but leaving him unharmed.
A third-grade array spirit was, after all, a defective product. It was fine against the Foundation Establishment Stage, but against a true Core Formation Stage, it would be defeated in one round.
"Big brother, sorry, if we keep playing, we'll lose."
Seeing Man Jin break free, Tie Xiong immediately took out the token to summon Qin Xuanji and activated it.
However, unexpectedly, the token had no response!
"This..."
Tie Xiong was dumbfounded again.
"Human! You must die!"
Man Jin's fury reached its peak. He leaped up, and his giant elephant leg, like a pillar supporting the sky, stomped towards Tie Xiong's head with unstoppable force, shaking the heavens and the void.
Xu Hei once again activated the Black Dragon Pagoda, spinning it to completely block Tie Xiong's retreat.
Tie Xiong had just turned his head when he crashed into the Black Dragon Pagoda.
In a battle between Core Formation cultivators, life and death were decided in an instant. With just this moment of obstruction, death was imminent!
"No!!"
With a miserable scream, Man Jin's elephant hoof stomped fiercely on Tie Xiong's head.
With a "splat," his body was crushed into a pulp.
Originally, with Tie Xiong's physical body, it was impossible to be stomped to death in one blow, but Man Jin's fury was overwhelming. This stomp was the most powerful in his history, unleashing his strength to the limit!
From head to toe, he was crushed into a mass of flesh, stomped deep into the ground, breaking through the abyss.
Even Man Jin's four legs were burning fiercely, igniting golden flames.
The flames gradually spread across his body, turning him into a burning giant elephant.
Tie Niu, seeing his brother fall, didn't have time to grieve before he saw the fiery body charging at him, rapidly enlarging in his pupils.
A question floated in his mind.
"What kind of demonic beast is this?"
Tie Niu's eyes were filled with terror. This feeling was completely different from facing Man Jin before, as if it were a different demonic beast.
This time, Xu Hei's True Qi was down to twenty percent, unable to use the Black Dragon Pagoda to block.
But Man Jin's stomp still landed solidly. Although Tie Niu dodged most of it, he was hit by the aftermath, losing half of his body.
Such terrifying power was truly frightening.
Tie Niu suppressed his injuries, flashed to Tie Xiong's corpse, and with a grasp, pulled the token into his hand.
"Senior, save me! Why don't you come out?"
Tie Niu screamed miserably.
But the token remained motionless, with no response.
Man Jin roared and charged again, clearly in a desperate stance.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, the token flew out, into the sky, and was caught by a figure.
At this moment, the world fell silent.
All humans and demonic beasts stopped, countless eyes all looking towards the sky, at the figure that had appeared unnoticed.
It was an ordinary-looking youth, wearing a green robe, with slightly rough skin.
He looked just like a mortal, with no detectable presence.
But this eerie scene sent chills down everyone's spine.
This was definitely a peerless powerhouse!
Xu Hei instinctively wanted to use the Small Teleportation Talisman to escape or immediately merge with the Black Dragon Pagoda, but his instincts sensed no danger.
At this moment, the green-robed youth stared at the token in his hand and said calmly, "Will you come out yourself, or shall I find you?"
The ancient voice coming from a youth's mouth was extremely bizarre.
As the words fell.
A middle-aged phantom floated out from the token, clasped his hands, and quickly solidified.
This scene was just like when Yin Mingzi took out the token and Qin Xuanji appeared.
Xu Hei had seen similar situations before. The communication jade slip in Li Yang's storage bag worked like this, seemingly using a method to attach Divine Sense to the jade slip, turning it into a physical form.
But this Qin Xuanji was clearly more advanced, almost equivalent to an External Incarnation.
Such a method couldn't even be detected by a jade disk, making it impossible to guard against.
"Junior Qin Xuanji, greets the Demon Lord!"
Facing this youth, Qin Xuanji, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, bowed deeply, performing the courtesy of a junior.
As this scene unfolded, the entire place fell into a deathly silence, where even a pin drop could be heard.
.....156....
"Who is the Demon Lord?"
"What kind of cultivation does this person have to make Qin Xuanji address him as a junior?"
Everyone's minds buzzed, their hearts stirred by waves of shock.
Qin Xuanji, the most talented individual of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, an unparalleled Chosen not seen in a millennium, invincible within the Core Formation Stage.
Even the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Chu Kingdom couldn't kill him and had to retreat.
For someone to make Qin Xuanji pay respects, what level of cultivation does this youth possess?!
"Back then, the Divine Puppet Sect made a vow with me to never set foot here again. Have you forgotten?" The Demon Lord looked at the person before him, seemingly assessing.
Qin Xuanji slightly bowed, neither humble nor arrogant, "I respect the ancestors and seniors, hence my true self did not come. But as a cultivator, we go against the heavens, how could we be bound by some old rules?"
His words were not arrogant but heartfelt.
In the entire Heavenly Puppet Sect, only he dared to face the Demon Lord's reputation and come to this place.
The Demon Lord remained expressionless, coldly saying, "Sounds nice, but aren't you just testing my limits?"
"Let me make it clear to you now, I don't care what kind of avatars, puppets, or external incarnations you use, as long as they belong to the Divine Puppet Sect, they should not appear within the Wu Mountain range. Today, consider this a lesson."
He opened his mouth and sucked in, pulling Qin Xuanji's figure towards him.
Suddenly, Qin Xuanji's eyes flared with ghostly fire, breaking free from the constraints, his body igniting and quickly dissipating into smoke.
"Extreme Realm?"
The Demon Lord's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, murmuring, "This person is indeed extraordinary, no wonder he has such confidence."
Extreme Realm represents the ultimate power within a certain realm.
For example, Xu Hei possesses the Extreme Realm of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
The Demon Lord thought that in this era of thin Spiritual Qi, the Extreme Realm would be very rare, yet he encountered one as soon as he emerged.
The Demon Lord picked up the token and coldly spoke into it, "Defying the heavens? You were hiding from me just now, which shows fear and trepidation, yet you talk about defying the heavens!"
These words, transmitted through Qin Xuanji's token, crossed an endless distance and echoed in Qin Xuanji's mind.
This would become Qin Xuanji's inner demon.
...
Jiangling, the capital city of the Chu Kingdom.
In a quiet room, Qin Xuanji sat on a prayer mat, suddenly opening his eyes, the voice from earlier reverberating in his mind.
"Good, this tribulation comes at the right time!"
Qin Xuanji was not panicked; instead, he was very calm, "As long as I overcome this tribulation, I can form my Elemental Infant!"
He, the strongest Core Formation in the history of the Qin Kingdom, and also the youngest.
He respects neither heaven nor earth, neither ghosts nor gods, nor ancestors. Even when facing the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Chu Kingdom, he is fearless.
But the moment the Demon Lord appeared, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness, like an ant.
—Divine Transformation Stage!
This was the first time in Qin Xuanji's life facing the Divine Transformation Stage, and also the first time he felt fear. However, as long as he crossed this hurdle, the world would be wide open.
"You've seen the Demon Lord, how did it go?"
A voice came from the void ahead, belonging to the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
"The Demon Lord is not dead, and now appears in a youthful form."
Qin Xuanji spoke to the void ahead.
The voice was silent for a long time before asking, "Qin Xuanji, do you believe anyone or any demonic beast could survive from ancient times to the present?"
Qin Xuanji shook his head, "I don't believe it."
Elemental Infant cultivators have a lifespan of over a thousand years.
The Divine Transformation Stage can reach up to three thousand years.
Even so, it's still too far from ancient times.
"Then what do you think the Demon Lord is?" the old voice asked again.
Qin Xuanji was silent for a moment before decisively saying, "He is practicing in a way that deceives the heavens."
A cultivator's lifespan is limited by the laws of the heavens, and they cannot live indefinitely. Even defying the heavens won't work; only by deceiving the heavens can they avoid its scrutiny.
"That's a good guess."
A figure appeared, the Elemental Infant ancestor walked up to him, solemnly saying, "The day you unravel the mystery of the Demon Lord will be the day you form your Elemental Infant."
"By then, no matter how the Demon Lord deceives the heavens, he won't be able to hide."
...
Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.
With Qin Xuanji's disappearance, the Iron Mountain Sect's momentum was gone.
The Demon Lord didn't even glance at them, leaving directly.
It was as if his appearance was merely to counterbalance the Heavenly Puppet Sect, indifferent to everything else.
Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief, truly afraid that the Demon Lord would notice him, as he had too many secrets.
Tie Niu's eyes flickered, trying to slip away, but Man Jin gave him no chance, crushing him like a mountain, completely obliterating him.
The remaining members of the Iron Mountain Sect were swiftly defeated by the combined efforts of Xu Hei, Xiao Chou, and the elephant herd, leaving none alive.
Xu Hei wasted no time, using the Soul-absorbing Flag to draw in all their souls, allowing the snake spirit to devour them.
Thus, the Iron Mountain Sect, which was supposed to replace the Mountain Movers Sect, perished halfway before it even began.
Man Jin's burning flames extinguished as he walked up to Xu Hei, weakly saying, "Brother Xu, I owe you a great favor again, I..."
Before he could finish, his body swayed and fell to the ground.
Man Jin's body rapidly shrank, the massive mountain-like figure deflating like a punctured balloon, visibly shrinking, even his life force rapidly waning.
"Chieftain!"
"Big brother!"
Cries of alarm came from the surrounding elephants, who gathered around, extremely anxious.
Without a word, Xu Hei immediately took out a pill and administered it to him, giving him three in succession before Man Jin's aura stabilized, no longer declining.
"He's too severely injured, his life force greatly depleted, he needs rest," Xu Hei said solemnly.
To kill two Core Formation cultivators, Man Jin had exerted all his strength, burning his life force at a heavy cost.
The elephant herd fell into silence.
This time, they suffered great losses, with their leader unconscious and many elite tribesmen dead or wounded.
The silver lining was that their children were unharmed.
Xu Hei's warning was crucial for them.
"We cannot repay Senior Xu's kindness."
An old elephant was moved to tears.
All the elephants bowed to Xu Hei.
Such kindness cannot be expressed in words; it's no exaggeration to say that in the future, they would be willing to go through fire and water for Xu Hei.
At this moment, the lion pack led by the Purple Lightning Lion King arrived belatedly.
"Damn it! I was trapped by a formation, only just arriving now," the Purple Lightning Lion King cursed.
Xu Hei was not surprised by this; Qin Xuanji's arrangements would certainly have also stalled the Purple Lightning Lion King, otherwise, he wouldn't have been lured in.
Xu Hei held no grudge.
Ultimately, it was about strength!
If not for the Demon Lord's sudden intervention, Xu Hei didn't know what kind of situation he would have faced.
Qin Xuanji was too powerful, the strongest Core Formation cultivator he had ever seen, capable of making a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator cough up blood with just a glance, terrifyingly strong.
The only methods Xu Hei could think of were using eight Small Teleportation Talismans or merging with the Black Dragon Pagoda, and whether he could escape would purely depend on luck.
"Lei Meng, you need not blame yourself; this was a conspiracy against me."
Xu Hei briefly explained what had happened.
"What do you mean against you? This was clearly against all of us demonic beasts!"
The Purple Lightning Lion King was furious.
With his fiery temper, he wished to destroy another city, but now he was powerless to do so. Impulsiveness does not mean courting death.
"The Heavenly Puppet Sect being targeted by the Demon Lord likely means they won't dare to come again. Do you still plan to move thousands of miles away?" Xu Hei asked.
The Purple Lightning Lion King pondered for a long time before sighing.
"The Heavenly Puppet Sect may not come, but they can send others. The major sects in the Qin Kingdom, like this Iron Mountain Sect, are as numerous as cattle, not to mention the super families like the Bai Family."
"We are too weak to challenge them."
The Purple Lightning Lion King looked at the unconscious Man Jin, thought of his own situation, and could only swallow this bitter pill.
They couldn't rely on the Demon Lord for everything. The Wu Mountain Range was vast and endless, with countless demon clans; the Demon Lord couldn't possibly look after them individually.
Frankly, they were insignificant among the demon clans.
No one could fathom the Demon Lord's intentions.
"Senior Lei Meng, if you don't mind, why not settle here? Our Wild Giant Elephant Tribe welcomes you," an old elephant suggested.
...157....
Lei Meng was taken aback as he surveyed the surroundings.
This place was situated on a plain, rich in vegetation and teeming with demonic beasts. With hot springs throughout the seasons, it was a rare treasure land; otherwise, the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe would not have chosen to reside here.
"Our Lion Tribe are predators by nature, bloodthirsty and a threat to your offspring. Even if our Foundation Establishment Stage members can control themselves, the young cubs cannot be disciplined," Lei Meng said truthfully.
Living together, the Elephant Tribe and the Lion Tribe would inevitably clash, even if the leaders did not. The younger generations were bound to fight, leading to conflicts sooner or later.
They were not human and could not educate their offspring to be cultured and reasonable.
Friendliness? Peace? Such traits, if cultivated among young lions, would eventually lead to their natural elimination.
The elephants exchanged glances and could only sigh helplessly.
"However, we can live nearby and help keep watch. If any human cultivators dare to come, I will intervene," Lei Meng added.
"Thank you, Senior Lei Meng!" the elephants all bowed in gratitude.
...
Xu Hei and Xiao Chou stayed here as well, choosing to settle down.
For Xiao Chou, a human, the Elephant Tribe was reasonable, knowing he was Xu Hei's friend and had helped them earlier. They treated him as an honored guest.
Xu Hei carved out a cave dwelling and began to inventory the spoils from the recent battle.
"Mountain-Covering Mud, a mid-grade third-tier Spiritual Treasure!"
Xu Hei looked at the small, palm-sized lump of soft mud before him, highly malleable.
Yet this unassuming item could expand a thousandfold, with its weight increasing infinitely.
Xu Hei spent an hour refining it, understanding its effects and principles.
"So that's how it is. Once activated, this item can automatically absorb earth-element True Qi from the heavens and earth, gathering nearby sand and dust from the air, growing larger and increasing gravity. It's truly the bane of large demonic beasts," Xu Hei mused.
This lump of mud could also change shape at will, allowing him to mold it into a shield for disguise.
Similarly, it could be used for defense, wrapping around oneself to reduce external damage.
Xu Hei tried to activate it and found that while it consumed a lot of energy, it was much more economical than other third-tier magical treasures, likely due to his Earth Spiritual Roots.
"An earth-element magical treasure, useful for me!"
Xu Hei stored it in his Void Stone.
Besides the Mountain-Covering Mud, there were some defensive magical treasures, but most had been crushed by Man Jin's foot.
The remaining treasures were few.
He acquired the chains used by Tie Niu and the fork used by Tie Xiong, both low-grade third-tier Spiritual Treasures.
These two weapons were of no use to Xu Hei, so he planned to sell them.
What surprised Xu Hei the most was that the Iron Mountain Sect members collectively had about one hundred thousand Spirit Stones in reserve, including over forty high-grade Spirit Stones.
"So many high-grade Spirit Stones!"
Seeing so many high-grade Spirit Stones, Xu Hei's heart burned with excitement.
He took out all the square high-grade Spirit Stones, totaling sixty-seven pieces.
"I wonder if I can obtain another dragon clan secret technique."
Without hesitation, Xu Hei swallowed the high-grade Spirit Stones one by one, moving to the Demon God Cauldron, where they were absorbed by the true dragon statue.
One, two, three... ten, twenty...
Last time, it only took ten Spirit Stones to obtain the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.
This time, even after fifty pieces, nothing appeared.
Soon, Xu Hei's sixty-seven high-grade Spirit Stones were completely absorbed, and no secret technique emerged.
"Still short by thirty-three; it seems I need to gather a hundred pieces!"
Xu Hei had a strong premonition.
He calculated the resources he currently had.
Ordinary Spirit Stones totaled two hundred thousand.
Usable third-tier magical treasures included the Black Dragon Pagoda, Mountain-Covering Mud, and the Soul-absorbing Flag.
However, the Jiao Python within the Soul-absorbing Flag was severely injured. Xu Hei had absorbed many souls into it, allowing it to slowly devour and heal, but it would take some time.
As consumables, he had eight Small Teleportation Talismans, an unknown gray talisman, and an ordinary Thunder Tribulation Pearl.
For flying swords, he had the Spirit-Breaking Sword, Heaven-Burning Sword, and Ice Soul Sword, all made of ivory. Xu Hei could simultaneously wield three swords, wreaking havoc within the Foundation Establishment Stage.
As for puppets, Xu Hei had used most of them. He had just collected a batch of corpses but hadn't had time to refine them.
"What if I refine these Iron Mountain Sect members into puppets?" Xu Hei thought to himself.
The Iron Mountain Sect specialized in body refining techniques, with tough physical bodies covered in iron skin, making them excellent puppet materials.
Even as corpses, they were extremely sturdy, resistant to ordinary blades and swords.
"Let's do it!"
Xu Hei immediately took out the corpses and piled them together.
He looked at the corpses, ready to refine one, when a brilliant idea struck him.
"Why should I refine them one by one? Why not combine these corpses into a single flesh giant?" Xu Hei pondered.
His Earth Puppet Art could only refine puppets up to the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Therefore, he couldn't utilize the corpses of Tie Niu and Tie Xiong.
But the other corpses could be combined and stitched into a super Foundation Establishment puppet.
Its strength would be at the Foundation Establishment Stage, but it would be extremely durable, nearly indestructible, with enough flesh to take on a hundred foes. The scene would be spectacular.
No sooner said than done!
Xu Hei immediately piled all the corpses together, releasing the Spirit Body Thread to begin this grand project.
...
While Xu Hei was in seclusion.
The four major sects began their excavation of the ancient relic.
It was a deep canyon, with the entrance to the relic in the middle, through a tunnel leading underground.
The tunnel was bottomless, blocking all detection, with only visible black smoke wafting out.
This was Yin Sha Qi, extremely dense yin energy.
It indicated that countless corpses lay within!
There were signs of previous excavation, suggesting others had been here before and retrieved some items.
"According to that bounty hunter, their team had a Qi Condensation leader and thirteen members in total, but they were all wiped out, with only him surviving," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.
"Everyone, should we enter together or split up?"
He looked at the group behind him.
Their team was naturally more luxurious than Han Te's, capable of splitting into several groups for exploration.
The Carefree Sect's patriarch, Li Yao, was severely injured and had not yet recovered. After a moment of silence, he said, "Perhaps... we should split up."
He no longer wished to explore any relics, only to preserve his life. His words were also an excuse.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a stream of Yin Sha Qi shot out from the tunnel, and the patriarch's head flew off.
Everyone's faces changed dramatically, summoning protective magical treasures as if facing a formidable enemy.
However, nothing happened.
The tunnel remained unfathomably deep, calm as usual, except for Li Yao's missing head, with no other changes.
"Hehehe..."
At that moment, Li Yao's head suddenly emitted a sinister laugh, with a strange smile, and flew into the tunnel, disappearing from sight.
.....158.....
The crowd's faces were pale, not daring to make a sound.
They split up, truly split up.
"Everyone, disperse!" Yin Mingzi shouted.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Without hesitation, the crowd quickly scattered, spreading throughout the canyon.
"That was an ancient vengeful spirit. As long as there are too many people and the Yang energy is strong, it will attract such entities. Plus, Li Yao was severely injured and weak, which allowed the spirit to succeed!"
The cultivation technique Yin Mingzi practiced was the Yin Ming Art from the Snake Catchers Sect. This sinister art was extremely sensitive, and he immediately identified the problem.
"We need to split into multiple small teams, each with no more than ten people," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.
After arrangements were made, everyone gradually dispersed, forming small teams and entering the tunnels one by one.
...
Three days later, the people from the four major sects returned in disarray.
Their numbers were halved, with two Core Formation Stage cultivators fallen.
However, they did bring back some ancient relics according to Han Te's map. Despite the heavy losses, it wasn't a complete failure.
At least they gained more understanding of the situation inside the relic, allowing them to avoid danger as much as possible next time.
At the same time, the map of the ancient relic spread like a storm across the Southern Region.
Not only in the Southern Region, but it also spread throughout the country, even reaching the southern bank of the Yanluo River, becoming widely circulated.
This map, initially bought by Xu Hei for five thousand spirit stones, now seemed to be everywhere, almost everyone had a copy.
For a time, the whole country was in an uproar.
Countless people formed teams and rushed to the Wu Mountain Range to explore the relic.
The four major sects did not stop the people coming from all over the country, nor could they. The danger level of that relic far exceeded their imagination.
It wasn't a treasure trove filled with riches, but a perilous place that devoured people!
Rather than risking themselves, they let these passersby probe the area, possibly reducing some losses.
However, while everyone was heading to the Wu Mountain Range, one sect remained indifferent.
—The Heavenly Puppet Sect!
Whether disciples or elders, they were given strict orders not to approach the Wu Mountain area.
They only sent some subordinate sects and families to investigate, but not a single person from their own sect went, causing experts from various factions to speculate on the reason.
Over time, more and more human cultivators gathered in Wu Mountain.
In the sky, Core Formation Stage cultivators could occasionally be seen leading teams, sweeping across from high above.
Initially, the nearby Demon Clan was furious, but gradually, they became accustomed to it.
Eventually, human cultivators even established a small base within Wu Mountain for information exchange and magical treasure trading.
Everything was in service of exploring this relic.
...
Time flew by.
Unknowingly, a month had passed.
In the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, Xu Hei's seclusion was finally nearing its end.
This was the longest he had ever spent crafting a puppet.
"Finally... it's done!"
Xu Hei let out a long breath.
Before him stood a three-meter-tall giant puppet.
Its bloated body, steel-like limbs, and that bizarrely large head provided a strong visual impact.
On the head were ten human faces, with over twenty eyes scattered in various directions, facial features twisted together like an ancient demon.
This was Xu Hei's masterpiece after a month of work.
He was certain that the Heavenly Puppet Sect's puppet techniques did not include the method to create this, because it was Xu Hei's own creation! It had drained all his creativity.
He repeatedly disassembled and reassembled corpses, failing over a dozen times, even using Tie Xiong's body, yet still failing.
Finally, it was only after injecting a Transformation Pill into the body that he began to see results.
This thing appeared to be a single person, but in reality, it was the amalgamation of thirty people.
For instance, the arms appeared to be only two, but inside, there were dozens more, ready to grow back immediately if severed, and the body was covered in various twisted faces.
Such a monster, just by its appearance, could scare a group of people to death!
If the Heavenly Puppet Sect knew that someone had used puppet techniques to create such a thing, who knows what they would think.
"Let's test its strength."
Xu Hei willed it to move.
The giant took a step forward, charging ahead like a cannonball, producing a booming sound as it swung its iron fist, striking the stone wall ahead.
"Boom!!"
The underground cave dwelling instantly collapsed, the tremor spreading for a thousand meters, like an earthquake.
Xu Hei gasped.
This physical body, this strength, this speed, it was the most perfect puppet Xu Hei had ever seen!
Xu Hei used the Spirit Devouring Sword to cut the puppet, only managing to make small wounds that healed in seconds.
It also had astonishing regenerative power!
Even if its limbs were severed, they could grow back immediately.
Xu Hei was certain that this thing wasn't a match for a Core Formation Stage cultivator, but it wouldn't be easy for a Core Formation Stage to deal with it either.
Its size was somewhat large, even after he had compressed it as much as possible.
"This puppet shall be called the Butcher, the butcher that slaughters people!" Xu Hei thought to himself.
Inside the Butcher was a small space specifically for storing Xu Hei's main body.
Xu Hei immediately cut open a hole and climbed inside, the opening quickly sealing shut.
The Butcher donned a sealed helmet, covering its face, and then put on a set of heavy knight armor, covering itself completely.
This set of armor was also something Xu Hei crafted on a whim.
He controlled the Butcher and walked out of the collapsed underground cave.
At this moment, the entire Wild Giant Elephant Tribe was present.
Due to the frequent human activity, the Elephant Tribe dared not venture out casually, lest they be targeted and killed by humans.
The Lion Tribe was the same, staying close by to provide support at any time.
Xu Hei walked around and was surprised to find that even the Snake Tribe had come nearby, seemingly intending to band together.
"Senior, your body..."
Xiao Chou was drawn by the commotion and, seeing Xu Hei's massive form, looked astonished.
Although he couldn't see his appearance, the oppressive feeling from this body was stronger than ever, with a trace of Yin Sha Qi, like a fierce and evil demon, making Xiao Chou's face turn pale.
"This is my new identity. From now on, call me the Butcher."
Xu Hei controlled the puppet, its mouth opening and closing, producing a muffled voice.
"Yes!" Xiao Chou nodded.
"By the way, tell me about the situation over the past month."
Xu Hei sensed changes in the outside world and inquired.
"It's like this, deep in Wu Mountain, someone discovered an ancient relic..."
Xiao Chou explained truthfully, "The map has spread everywhere, and people from all over the country have come, not just from the Southern Region. It's said that people from the Eastern Region, Western Region, and even the Qin Kingdom have arrived."
"So many people?" Xu Hei was stunned.
Logically, Qin Xuanji had cleared the area for thousands of miles, intending to monopolize it, but it ended up attracting cultivators from all over.
This situation was beyond Xu Hei's expectations.
"That relic was initially very dangerous, with people dying as soon as they entered, but over the past month, it's been mostly cleared, and many treasures have been retrieved. Even the Chu Tian Alliance is interested in taking a look," Xiao Chou continued.
...159.....
The Chu Tian Alliance, now considered a band of rebels and traitors, was responsible for the destruction of the Mountain Movers Sect.
"Have you been to that relic?" Xu Hei asked.
"Not yet," Xiao Chou shook his head, "but those who have been there have summarized a few ironclad rules."
"First, you can't gather too many people, or you'll attract ancient vengeful spirits looking to snatch bodies."
"Second, you can't have too few people either. There's an illusory forest inside that causes hallucinations at irregular intervals. You need companions to wake you up; you can't get through alone."
"Third, you need at least one Core Formation Stage leader. Their cultivation level shouldn't be too high, or they'll attract ancient corpse puppets, but they can't be too weak either..."
Xiao Chou went on to explain a host of precautions for the relic.
Although Xu Hei hadn't been there, he could sense the perilous nature of the relic just from Xiao Chou's description.
Moreover, he had a vague feeling that the relic didn't seem naturally formed; there were traces of human arrangement.
"There are eighteen known dangers in the relic, each potentially fatal, but there are also many treasures. It's even rumored that there's a Longevity Pill inside, which can extend life by sixty years with just one pill," Xiao Chou continued.
"A Longevity Pill, sixty years..."
Xu Hei's pupils contracted.
It's important to know that Foundation Establishment cultivators can only live for two hundred years, and those in the Core Formation Stage, five hundred years. An extra sixty years of life could rejuvenate an old monster at the end of their lifespan, making countless people willing to risk their lives.
"Where did this information come from? Is it reliable?" Xu Hei asked urgently.
Whether it was the risks in the relic or the Longevity Pill, the value of the information was beyond imagination, and he didn't think Xiao Chou could have obtained it himself.
"The information came from the Chu Tian Alliance. The dangers are absolutely true, but the Longevity Pill is just something someone claimed to have seen, not very certain," Xiao Chou replied.
Xu Hei nodded heavily.
No matter what, he had to go this time.
He had the old ape's key and that ancient token, both pointing to this relic, and he had various life-saving items. There was no reason not to take the risk.
"Give me a day to prepare, and we'll set off tomorrow," Xu Hei said.
...
Next, Xu Hei went to check on Man Jin.
A month had passed, and Man Jin had already awakened. Although his body was still weak and his Golden Core was only half its previous size, he was in much better shape than a month ago.
"Brother Xu, you've helped me a lot this time, I..." Man Jin didn't know what to say.
"We're brothers, no need to say such things," Xu Hei said with a faint smile.
He took out a large number of pills, spiritual fruits, and spiritual herbs, placing them nearby, all beneficial to the Elephant Tribe.
Then, Xu Hei took out a jade box and handed it over, "Take this, it should help you quickly recover your cultivation."
Man Jin took it with his nose, opened the jade box, and inside was a fist-sized Golden Core, exuding a rich true essence.
"This is..." Man Jin was stunned.
"This is the Golden Core of that human cultivator," Xu Hei said.
All the spoils of this battle were obtained by Xu Hei alone, and he felt uneasy not sharing any of it.
Man Jin took a deep breath, didn't refuse, and accepted the Golden Core, saying solemnly, "Brother Xu, I won't say anything more. From now on, you're my blood brother!"
"I'll be counting on you," Xu Hei replied with a smile.
Afterward, Xu Hei made a trip to Myriad Serpent Valley.
He went to the underground cave dwelling, intending to thank Xu Bai for her Transformation Pill.
However, to his surprise, Xu Bai was not there.
The spirit beasts she kept were still there, with plenty of food left, but Xu Bai had disappeared.
On the ground was a jade slip, which Xu Hei picked up and probed with his Divine Sense.
"Xu Hei, I've found a perfect place for pill refining. I've gone ahead. If there's an emergency, just crush this jade slip."
It was Xu Bai's voice.
Xu Hei shook his head, put the jade slip away, and left the cave dwelling.
He took out the butcher puppet, entered it, and headed straight for the depths of Wu Mountain.
...
Wu Mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, had a harsh environment and was rarely visited.
But now, the place was unprecedentedly lively, with a large number of people coming and going, and a cultivator outpost had been established.
The outpost was about the size of a small town, with some simple houses and a basic magical array, located a hundred miles from the relic.
Xu Hei landed in the outpost, like a towering iron tower, causing the ground to shake slightly.
Immediately, many cultivators looked over, their gazes wary. However, this place had all sorts of strange people, and Xu Hei's appearance was not unusual.
Inside the outpost, there were quite a few people, some trading magical treasures, others forming temporary teams, gathering in groups of three or five.
"A newly released map of the ancient relic, including strategies for all dangerous areas, only five thousand Spirit Stones. You won't be disappointed, and it's worth every stone!"
As soon as Xu Hei entered the outpost, he heard a shout coming from a stall.
It was a bald old man, with a scraggly beard and only a few sparse purple hairs on the back of his head, his cultivation at the early Core Formation Stage.
Xu Hei sniffed the air and immediately walked over to the stall.
"Han Te!" Xu Hei squinted his eyes.
The bald old man was momentarily stunned and shouted, "What Han Te? Don't compare me to that shameless scoundrel; he's just a fraud."
Xu Hei was noncommittal and asked, "Do you know where Xuan Yangzi is hiding?"
The bald old man's eyes flickered, and he quickly shook his head, "What Xuan Yangzi? I don't know..."
Before he could finish, his voice abruptly stopped.
Xu Hei had taken out a storage bag and waved it in front of him, his Divine Sense clearly seeing ten thousand Spirit Stones inside.
"Ahem!" The bald old man coughed twice and changed his tune, "Xuan Yangzi is a client of a friend of mine. A client is like a god, and how could my friend betray a god? He has professional ethics..."
His voice stopped again.
This time, Xu Hei took out a second storage bag, another ten thousand Spirit Stones, and waved both bags in front of him.
The bald old man's throat moved, and he reached out to grab the storage bag, but Xu Hei pulled it back.
"Speak first," Xu Hei said coldly.
Han Te scratched his bald head and slowly said, "I've already said, my friend won't betray a client. No matter how much money you give, it's useless. Besides, I've almost forgotten where Xuan Yangzi is hiding. I need to recall..."
As he spoke, he turned his head and looked in a certain direction, staring intently without blinking.
Xu Hei glanced in that direction, immediately understanding, and memorized the location.
Professional ethics, huh.
He had to eliminate Xuan Yangzi, but not now. He would wait until he truly had the strength to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator, with a hundred percent certainty, before making his move.
Xu Hei tossed a bag of Spirit Stones and said, "You only gave me the direction, not the distance, so I'm only giving you half."
Han Te quickly grabbed the storage bag and put it away.
"Dear customer, I didn't say anything, don't misunderstand," Han Te emphasized again.
Xu Hei was speechless at this man's shamelessness. He didn't waste any more words and picked up the map from the stall.
"These Spirit Stones are for buying this map, okay?"
"Yes, absolutely!" Han Te nodded repeatedly.
Xu Hei glanced at the map, which contained a lot of information, including the dangers and precautions within the relic, all clearly detailed, just as Xiao Chou had described.
This reassured Xu Hei.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Xiao Chou, but he didn't know much about the Chu Tian Alliance, so he needed to gather information from multiple sources. Hence, the map was a must-buy.
"Thank you, Daoist Han. I wish you prosperity and wealth."
Xu Hei cupped his hands and turned to leave.
"Hey! Wait a moment!"
Han Te quickly stood up and handed over a token, "Dear customer, you're practically an old client now. This is Han's membership token. If you have any needs, just infuse your Divine Sense into it, and I'll arrive as quickly as possible, come rain or shine."
"Of course, there's a delivery fee."
...160....
"An old customer?"
Xu Hei took the token, surprised, and asked, "Have we traded before?"
Han Te was momentarily stunned, then chuckled awkwardly, "I was just guessing. You came in asking about Xuan Yangzi, so I thought maybe we knew each other. No offense."
Xu Hei immediately realized that this person was probing his identity.
Han Te, while appearing friendly, was actually quite cunning.
At that moment, a commotion arose in the distance.
A large group of dark figures rushed over from afar, numbering in the hundreds, moving swiftly with an imposing aura.
"The people from the Four Great Sects have arrived."
"And the Bai Family, the Zhou Family too."
"So many have come!"
Following the murmurs, familiar figures flew in from the horizon, sweeping across the sky.
Most of them, Xu Hei had seen before, were those who had fought against the Demon Clan.
There were also some who didn't seem local, dressed oddly, likely from the Eastern or Western regions, and fewer in number.
Xu Hei immediately followed.
Han Te warned, "Fellow Daoist, following them won't get you any benefits. Even if you find treasures, they'll just be taken away. We lone cultivators have no support and can only eat dust."
"What makes you think I'm a lone cultivator? Can't I be one of them?" Xu Hei sneered.
Han Te was momentarily speechless.
Xu Hei said no more and quickly caught up, arriving at the entrance of the ruins with the crowd.
Some lone cultivators also arrived, watching from a distance.
This place was originally a canyon, but one side had been flattened, turning it into an isolated mountain.
The entrance to the ruins was filled with a terrifying aura, ghostly and chilling, with black mist rising, making one's skin crawl.
It was Xu Hei's first time here, and surprisingly, he didn't feel much fear.
Yet some bystanders were already pale, sweating on their foreheads.
"So many have come this time, they must be planning to delve deep inside."
"If we can get past the corpse puppet formation, we could make a fortune."
The bystanders whispered, eyes flickering.
"Let's go!"
At this moment, Yin Mingzi took the lead, heading into the tunnel with over fifty people.
"With so many going in at once, aren't they afraid of attracting vengeful spirits?" someone wondered.
Xu Hei noticed a frail old man among them, his body withered, life hanging by a thread, like a dead man, yet his cultivation was unfathomable, beyond Xu Hei's perception.
The sense of danger from him was even stronger than from Yin Mingzi.
At least at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.
Just then, a stream of Yin Sha Qi rushed out from the tunnel, heading straight for the frail old man.
"Perfect timing!"
The frail old man's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he inhaled, sucking the Yin Sha Qi directly into his mouth. He tapped his forehead, and black smoke billowed from his seven orifices.
"Swallowing vengeful spirits?!"
The crowd exclaimed in shock.
Daring to swallow such a sinister thing as a vengeful spirit, isn't that courting death?
But then someone realized that the old man was clearly a dying person.
"I understand now, this person is a ghost cultivator, able to use his body as a vessel to absorb vengeful spirits," an old cultivator exclaimed.
Ghost cultivators, rare and of the demonic path, live by devouring these sinister entities.
However, ghost cultivators often suffer mental issues, easily going mad, and over time, they too become vengeful spirits.
"Thirteenth Ancestor, how do you feel?" Yin Mingzi asked.
"Excellent! These vengeful spirits are a great supplement for me, allowing me to make a few more moves," the Thirteenth Ancestor replied calmly, showing no discomfort.
At this moment, deathly aura emanated from his seven orifices, making him neither human nor ghost, yet his presence was stronger than before.
"No time to waste, let's move!"
Yin Mingzi led the way into the tunnel, followed by the crowd.
First the Four Great Sects, then the Bai and Zhou Families of the Qin Kingdom, forming an alliance.
Along the way, another vengeful spirit was devoured by the Thirteenth Ancestor, further boosting his aura.
The Thirteenth Ancestor stood at the back, glanced at the hesitant lone cultivators, and smiled, "The vengeful spirits have been cleared by me. You may all enter and seek your fortunes as you wish."
With that, he entered the tunnel, ignoring the crowd.
The lone cultivators breathed a sigh of relief, forming small teams to enter the tunnel one after another.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered, but he didn't rush in, instead waiting at the entrance.
The next moment, a sudden, piercing scream echoed from within.
"Ahhh!!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor suddenly turned, spewing a thick black mist towards the lone cultivators.
The two cultivators at the front were touched by the black mist, their flesh melting away, leaving only skeletons. One of them even had a False Core cultivation, but was gone in an instant, unable to even draw a magical treasure.
"Not good, run!"
"That old bastard tricked us!"
The crowd was terrified, retreating in panic, but the black mist spread rapidly, engulfing several more, their flesh disappearing, leaving only bones.
Xu Hei's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly retreated.
He had suspected that the Snake Catchers Sect's grand setup, bringing out an old ancestor, was up to no good, and he was right.
Soon, the tunnel was cleared, and all the lone cultivators who entered became skeletons, their souls sucked into the old man's mouth.
The crowd retreated outside, their faces grim, seething with anger.
The Thirteenth Ancestor stood in the tunnel, eyes cold, a cruel smile on his lips, black mist swirling around him like a corpse.
"You really came in when I let you!"
"This place is reserved by my Snake Catchers Sect. If you know what's good for you, leave now, or I'll come out and start a massacre!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor took a probing step outside, and the crowd retreated in fear.
Among the lone cultivators, a Core Formation stage cultivator wanted to speak, but seeing that gaze, he trembled and lowered his head, knowing that one more word might turn him into a skeleton too.
Such dominance from the Snake Catchers Sect!
But no one dared to stand up for justice, such was the intimidation brought by power.
Xu Hei's face was dark; with that old dog guarding the entrance, it was hard to get in.
Earth Escape Technique?
He had tried it before; the tunnel had a strong barrier, preventing spells and even divine sense from penetrating, leaving only walking as an option.
"Hmph! Such arrogance, I want to see how your Snake Catchers Sect stops the world!"
Suddenly, a figure swept in from afar, dressed in a scholar's robe, but unkempt, with a face full of stubble.
Everyone looked over.
The newcomer was Xu Qingfeng, a Core Formation cultivator from the Chu Tian Alliance.
The Thirteenth Ancestor squinted his eyes, slowly raising his withered hand.
"You, a half-buried corpse, should be lying in a grave, yet you dare to wreak havoc in the world. Today, I shall vanquish evil and slay you, vile creature!"
Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll, the one he hadn't had a chance to open last time, exuding a powerful aura, a righteous energy that strongly suppressed evil.
"Whoosh!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor vanished instantly, his whereabouts unknown.