"Spare me, senior!"
With a scream, the person was directly stuffed into the butcher's body, merging into one.
By now, of the five people who entered the room, only the thick-browed cultivator trapped by the Mountain-Covering Mud remained; the other four had all been dealt with.
The process wasn't complicated either; it took just two or three breaths for Xu Hei to swiftly settle the matter.
The remaining person was the one responsible for recruiting rogue cultivators, with a cultivation level reaching the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, the strongest among them.
"Are you opposing the Chu Tian Alliance? I advise you to release me quickly, lest you bring trouble upon yourself!"
Surprisingly, this thick-browed cultivator didn't beg for mercy like those Xu Hei had encountered before but instead started to threaten.
When something is unusual, there must be something strange.
This person was trapped, merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, and couldn't possibly be a match for Xu Hei. Where did he get the courage?
"How about we split the treasures here between us? I won't tell anyone and will even help you cover it up, saying these people died at the hands of corpse puppets. How about it?"
The thick-browed cultivator showed no fear in his eyes, looking at Xu Hei with a flicker in his gaze, speaking in a deep voice, "This is the best choice for you, but if you dare to kill me, I guarantee you will..."
"Whoosh!"
Xu Hei couldn't be bothered with nonsense. Three flying swords shot straight out, but they suddenly veered off course, striking the stone wall instead.
"Hmm?"
Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and charged forward, but something bizarre happened. His movements distorted, causing him to dash to the side, missing once again.
"Indeed, I felt something was off earlier!"
Xu Hei's eyes flickered. He tried to move left, but his body involuntarily went right.
Not only was his puppet affected, but even his true self was influenced, though not as exaggerated as the puppet.
The butcher stumbled slightly, almost tripping over his own feet.
Xu Hei immediately stood still, maintaining his current state.
"What kind of technique is this? It actually disrupts my sense of direction," Xu Hei thought warily.
Once he lost his sense of direction, what use was speed? He would just crash around like a headless fly, perfectly countering his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.
"My friend, I advise you not to make things difficult for yourself. We are both smart people, and you don't want to waste time, right?"
At this moment, the Mountain-Covering Mud on the thick-browed cultivator was also falling off to the side. The man wore a cold smile, his eyes gleaming as he was about to break free.
Xu Hei's eyes turned icy. In the past, he would have studied such a strange method.
But now, he didn't plan to waste time. He directly took out the Black Dragon Pagoda, quickly enlarging it to fill the entire room, crushing down like a towering mountain.
The man's face changed dramatically, instantly smashed by the massive shadow, his body exploding into pieces with a "bang," not even having time to utter a sound, his form and spirit annihilated.
The Black Dragon Pagoda's attack direction deviated slightly, but its massive size crushed everything in all directions, rendering the small deviation useless.
Even some equipment in the back was smashed to pieces, collapsing along the way.
It was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!
This cultivator never expected Xu Hei to have such a terrifying weapon.
Xu Hei consumed thirty percent of his True Qi, quickly storing away the Black Dragon Pagoda.
"Reaching the mid-stage is different. If it were the initial stage, that move just now would have consumed at least half of my True Qi," Xu Hei thought to himself.
In fact, Xu Hei had other ways to deal with his opponent. Once he adapted to the disorienting feeling, he could have handled it with his true self.
But time was pressing, and he worried that if this person delayed, something unexpected might happen.
It was all for safety.
After dealing with this person, the chaotic feeling disappeared, and Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief, collecting the Mountain-Covering Mud and retrieving the storage bags from all the corpses.
The thick-browed cultivator's storage bag was crushed by the Black Dragon Pagoda, but one item remained intact, catching Xu Hei's attention.
Xu Hei reached out and grabbed an ancient bell into his hand.
The bell was bronze-colored, inscribed with countless spell imprints, impenetrable by Divine Sense.
Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then flicked the ancient bell with his finger.
The bell vibrated slightly, sending ripples throughout the room. Xu Hei immediately felt dizzy, and his puppet fell into a state of confusion, unable to distinguish left from right, up from down.
"What a magical bell!"
Xu Hei could tell that the bell was imbued with some strange spell, activated with a simple flick.
Its effect was to make people lose their sense of direction, especially effective against puppets!
Xu Hei probed it with his Divine Sense, but the imprints inside the bell were extremely strong, requiring at least a stick of incense's time to erase.
This puzzled Xu Hei. The bell's owner was dead, so it shouldn't be this strong.
Could it be that the Divine Sense imprint belonged to someone else?
"Roar!"
A strange cry came from outside the door, and a green-haired zombie rushed in like a flash, baring its ferocious teeth.
"Boom!"
Seeing this, Xu Hei flicked the ancient bell, sending ripples that caused the green-haired zombie to change direction, crashing headfirst into the wall and embedding itself.
Ji Ying flashed forward, instantly devouring the corpse puppet.
"It seems effective against corpse puppets," Xu Hei thought.
He had plenty of ways to deal with corpse puppets, so having another one wouldn't hurt.
However, he needed to quickly erase the Divine Sense imprint to avoid future trouble.
Xu Hei split his attention, using his Divine Sense to erase the imprint while controlling the puppet to examine the surroundings.
The room wasn't large, with a giant pill furnace and two smaller ones, one of which was damaged in the collision.
Nearby, a hidden compartment was sealed with talismans, containing jade bottles of pills and some ancient medicinal herbs preserved to this day.
Xu Hei had experience with such things; once the ancient sealing talismans were removed, they would turn to dust.
After a brief consideration, Xu Hei used dragon scales to carve out the hidden compartments, collecting them with the talismans into Void Stones.
Each pill bottle was labeled with the name of the pill. Xu Hei glanced over them, finding them to be ordinary pills, mostly second-grade, with only two being third-grade beginners.
Xu Hei accepted them all without hesitation.
While Xu Hei was excavating, he suddenly uncovered an empty space.
It was as if he had peeled away the outer shell, revealing another world inside.
"Is there something inside?"
Xu Hei stared at the stone wall before him, took two steps back, and probed with his Divine Sense, only to be blocked by a strong seal, unable to investigate further.
This seal was far superior to the ancient sealing talismans.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he tore off more dragon scales, digging from various angles.
Moments later.
A small space of three cubic meters appeared before him. Inside, there was a giant jade bottle as tall as a person, resembling a pill bottle.
However, the pill bottle had a human head on top.
It was a woman's head, already turned into a corpse puppet, covered in creepy yellow hair.
Mid-stage Core Formation, Yellow-haired Corpse Charm!..
....192...
"I actually dug up a Corpse Charm!"
Xu Hei's face darkened as he quickly retreated to the doorway.
The Corpse Charm was sealed within a jade bottle, surrounded by a powerful sealing light barrier. This was the only reason he didn't immediately flee but instead watched intently.
Upon spotting Xu Hei, the Corpse Charm's eyes instantly filled with ferocity.
The large jade bottle suddenly shot forward, attempting to crash into him, but it was repelled by the invisible seal and bounced back.
"Roar!"
She let out a heart-wrenching scream, glaring at Xu Hei as if she wanted to devour him.
The overwhelming corpse Qi spread from the bottle but could not extend beyond the seal.
Facing such a powerful corpse puppet, even Ji Ying dared not move, curling up within Xu Hei's dragon scales, trembling.
"Was this Corpse Charm sealed by someone? But clearly, no one has been here!" Xu Hei pondered.
The seal here was left from ancient times, not by later generations.
Xu Hei examined the pill bottle the Corpse Charm was "riding." It was also a sealing magical treasure, covered in patterns that seemed to depict a city.
After waiting for a moment and seeing that the corpse puppet could not break free, Xu Hei felt reassured and continued to search the room.
Every pill and medicinal herb he found was dug out and stored in his storage bag.
He also took away two pill furnaces.
There were some prayer mats on the ground for meditation; Xu Hei dusted them off and stored them in his storage bag as well. Anything he saw and could take, he left nothing behind.
Xu Hei moved quickly and efficiently, finishing in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Seeing that he had almost everything, Xu Hei was about to leave.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the seal.
He noticed a token partially exposed at the corner of the large jade bottle.
"This is..."
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Xu Hei's pupils contracted.
The design of the token was very similar to his "descendant of Gongshu" token, originating from the same source!
However, the token before him was slightly smaller, seemingly a lower grade.
Xu Hei glanced outside the door, using the butcher as a meat shield to block the entrance. Then, he took out that token.
As soon as the token appeared, the ferocity in the Yellow-haired Corpse Charm's eyes vanished, replaced by a moment of confusion.
Her gaze fixed on the token in Xu Hei's hand for a long time, her eyes trembling.
"You recognize this?" Xu Hei hesitated.
The Corpse Charm looked bewildered, and after a moment, her expression showed intense struggle, as if resisting something, causing the jade bottle to creak.
Suddenly, a slender hand reached out from the bottle, grabbed the token on the ground, and tossed it to Xu Hei.
The token penetrated the seal, and Xu Hei caught it in his hand.
He didn't rashly use his Divine Sense to probe it but observed the Corpse Charm's expression. Seeing her look of anticipation and ensuring no one was approaching from behind, he then used his Divine Sense to explore it.
"Buzz!"
In an instant, Xu Hei's consciousness saw a vast, boundless city.
The city was grand and magnificent, with glazed tiles, bustling streets, and joyous laughter everywhere, a scene of peace and prosperity.
"Wuyou City!"
Xu Hei thought of the lifeless underground city.
This must be a scene from ancient times.
Within this once-flourishing city, Xu Hei's consciousness swiftly traversed, overlooking from above, seeing no negativity, only vibrant faces.
The elderly were cared for, the young nurtured, coexisting harmoniously, a true era of peace.
"Is there really such a peaceful place in the world, without even a hint of conflict?"
Xu Hei found it hard to believe.
Doors were left unlocked at night, and items were not picked up on the streets, with no authorities in sight, severely challenging Xu Hei's worldview.
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Perhaps too much time had passed, the scenes became blurry, intermittent, with fragmented images flashing by.
Xu Hei saw a stunning woman, her beauty beyond words.
She sat cross-legged in a pill refining room, with three pill furnaces, the same setting as this place.
However, her eyes held despair.
"Wuyou City, our Wuyou City..."
"I don't want anyone to see what I look like after I die, I don't want to!"
Her desperate cries echoed, her eyes filled with sorrow.
Then, Xu Hei saw the woman dig a hole in the stone wall, taking out a large pill bottle.
She leaped into the bottle, sealing herself within the pit.
"If someone from the future comes here, I have only one request—kill me!"
"I have sealed my cultivation; even if I turn into a corpse, I will only be at mid-stage Core Formation! Inside this pill bottle is my life's wealth, as a reward for killing me!"
Her faint words transmitted over.
"If no one comes, so be it, let me be buried here forever, unseen by future generations."
As her voice faded, the dust on the ground automatically filled in, burying the pit in the stone wall.
...
Outside the Blood Corpse Cave.
A large group of figures was rushing toward this place on various flying devices.
On one of the underground ships sat two people, the Heavenly Puppet Sect duo, Lei He and Bai Luo.
Beside them was a large group following the lead of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, including the Southern Region's four sects, the Zhou Family, the Bai Family, and others, though they kept a distance.
"Hmm?" Bai Luo frowned slightly, muttering, "The second pawn is dead."
"Was it discovered by the Chu Tian Alliance?" Lei He raised an eyebrow.
"It doesn't matter if they found out; the key information has already been transmitted, that's enough. It's perfect timing to catch this group of rats in one fell swoop," the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect said coldly.
This group's scale was the strongest wave since entering the ruins. Core Formation cultivators were everywhere, and Foundation Establishment cultivators were as common as dogs.
They had long laid a trap for the Chu Tian Alliance, and now was the time to close the net.
Although the Heavenly Puppet Sect's main goal was the final inheritance, taking down those rebels along the way was a bonus.
Zhou Qing, the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, sat atop a mass of dark clouds, never revealing himself.
His goal differed from the others; he had no intention of joining the battle. He was only after the Longevity Pill.
As for the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, though important, he could tell they had been handed over to the Chu Tian Alliance. He wouldn't be foolish enough to fall into such a trap.
"Myriad Treasure Pavilion may not have much else, but it has plenty of money. I can always buy it back from the Chu Tian Alliance. As for you..."
Zhou Qing's eyes flashed with a cold light, "The treasures on you are surely more valuable than the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes!"
...
At this moment, Xu Hei stood before the Corpse Charm woman, having finished reading the contents of the token.
The Corpse Charm in front of him also gazed at him, her hollow eyes no longer showing ferocity but confusion and a hint of... pleading.
A humble plea.
But only for a moment, her expression turned to struggle again.
Alternating between confusion and viciousness, her face twisted in pain.
She wanted to crawl back into the bottle, not wanting to be seen like this, but feared Xu Hei would leave.
She looked at Xu Hei, her eyes full of supplication.
Xu Hei sighed, shaking his head. It wasn't that he didn't want to help her find relief; he was also tempted by the treasures she left behind. But his abilities were limited. How could a weakling who hadn't even reached Core Formation help a mid-stage Core Formation Corpse Charm find peace?
That would be suicidal.
Moreover, judging by her appearance, although she retained some sanity, she was oscillating between sanity and madness. Who knew when she might suddenly attack?
The risk was too great, and Xu Hei was powerless.
Xu Hei turned around, taking a deep look at the woman who had become a Corpse Charm. With a wave of his hand, he covered the dug-out wall, preserving a shred of her dignity, unseen by outsiders.
Xu Hei could only wait until his cultivation was stronger, at least reaching the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, before considering returning to try again.
A mid-stage Core Formation, even self-sealed, was not something he could handle now. Xu Hei was very self-aware.
"Senior... brother..."
Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from the Corpse Charm's mouth.
Her eyes, bright and clear, looked at the token in Xu Hei's hand, the madness in them gone, as if she had become more lucid.
...193..
ncient Medicine Garden, Red-haired Corpse King
Xu Hei's figure suddenly halted, turning back to look at the corpse enchantress.
Only her head remained outside the jade bottle, her eyes clearer and brighter as she gazed at the token, seemingly recalling some memories.
"Senior brother? Is this woman the junior sister of that descendant of Gongshu?"
Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he carefully recalled the contents of the token once more.
"I... descendant of Gongshu... to save my master..."
"Great calamity... Yin Corpse Pill... sealed myself..."
"Receive my inheritance... Divine Puppet Sect..."
The words in the token were fragmented.
Xu Hei quickly formed some conjectures.
"The owner of this tomb is likely their master, let's call him Ancestor Gongshu for now."
"This person encountered a sudden disaster and needs healing!"
"And that disaster led to the destruction of Wuyou City, the annihilation of the Gongshu lineage, turning everyone into corpse puppets!"
Xu Hei's thoughts raced.
Undoubtedly, these corpse puppets were cultivators from this place or residents of Wuyou City. But what kind of upheaval caused the current scene remains unknown.
Xu Hei was also curious about what kind of catastrophe could turn the once prosperous Wuyou City into its current state.
What is the connection between these events and the Divine Puppet Sect?
However, Xu Hei came here only to seek treasures and find an opportunity for a breakthrough.
Such curiosity that kills the cat is best avoided.
Time should not be wasted.
Xu Hei glanced once more at the hopeful eyes of the corpse enchantress, took a deep breath, and quickly made up his mind.
With a wave of his hand, he activated the Gravity Technique, causing a large amount of dust and sand to pile up, completely burying that area and restoring it to its original state.
Although the corpse enchantress had regained a bit of clarity, even if she didn't attack him, the overwhelming corpse Qi inside, once released, was not something Xu Hei could easily withstand.
He couldn't guarantee that he could retreat unscathed after breaking the seal.
Moreover, to kill a mid-stage Core Formation corpse enchantress, Xu Hei couldn't find any method other than exhausting his True Qi to drive the Black Dragon Pagoda.
His True Qi was already running low, and whether he could succeed or not was uncertain.
Even Xu Qingfeng and others hadn't killed the corpse enchantress but chose to seal and suppress her, indicating that her vitality was extraordinarily strong.
Xu Hei left the room, silently noting the location, and swiftly departed.
Not long after Xu Hei left, scattered cultivators entered one after another, but they merely glanced around and left.
Everyone's time was precious, and no one would spend time in a room that had already been explored.
At this moment, the Chu Tian Alliance had also finished searching two rooms and was heading forward together.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he followed behind.
Before long, the group arrived at a wide passageway.
Inside the passage, the air was thick with the scent of blood, corpse Qi surged, and in the darkness, pairs of green eyes flickered, emitting a ferocious light.
The corpse puppets inside were at least at the False Core Stage, none easy to deal with.
"This is the place," the Silver-haired Witch transmitted her voice.
At this moment, besides the Chu Tian Alliance, most of the allied scattered cultivators had also followed.
No one present was a fool; everyone knew there were benefits to be had by following the Chu Tian Alliance.
Zhang Tie glanced at the crowd behind him, a look of impatience flashing in his eyes, but he didn't drive them away.
"Senior Zhang, although we can't help much, we can still assist from the side."
"Rest assured, leave your backs to us, no corpse puppet will sneak attack from behind!"
The crowd stepped forward, speaking flatteringly, showing ingratiating expressions.
Some others, however, glared coldly at Xu Hei and the other demonic cultivators, saying, "What are you following us for?"
"Do you also want a share of the spoils?"
"Courting death! Get lost!"
The scattered cultivators were unceremonious with outsiders, stepping forward to drive them away, with two even drawing their flying swords to attack, pointing at the masked Xu Hei.
Xu Hei stepped back a few paces, his gaze icy.
Suddenly, a battle erupted at the front, with the Chu Tian Alliance decisively charging into the tunnel, engaging the corpse puppets inside.
They knew time was of the essence, and Xu Qingfeng immediately used his strongest suppression technique.
A giant character "Suppress" appeared above each corpse puppet's head, instantly pressing them to the ground and sealing them, while the others rushed into the tunnel.
Seeing this, the scattered cultivators no longer pressed forward, quickly changing direction and charging into the tunnel, fearing others would seize the opportunity first.
"Hmph!"
Xu Hei snorted coldly, Ji Ying shot out like lightning, piercing into the ear of the cultivator who had threatened him.
"Thud!"
The cultivator fell to the ground, convulsing to death.
The other two companions were shocked, and before they could call for help, Xu Hei pointed forward, and three flying swords shot out, instantly beheading the two.
Xu Hei's formidable strength startled the others.
But most cultivators rushed into the tunnel, fearing to be a step behind and have the treasures snatched by others, unwilling to turn back to deal with Xu Hei.
As for the Chu Tian Alliance, they didn't even spare a glance, pretending not to notice.
"Impressive skills, fellow Daoist!"
"I admire you, it's right to kill those who bully the weak!"
Two demonic cultivators nearby complimented, cupping their hands. No matter where, the strong are always respected.
Xu Hei ignored everyone, his figure flashing as he activated Ever-changing Fish and Dragon at full speed, leaving a trail of afterimages as he dashed into the tunnel, his speed no less than that of a Core Formation Stage cultivator!
"Whoosh—"
Countless cultivators were overtaken by him, and amidst the chaos, Xu Hei reached the forefront, standing alongside the core members of the Chu Tian Alliance.
The corpse puppets in the passage were all suppressed, and Xu Hei, with a quick glance, realized the Chu Tian Alliance was even stronger than he had imagined.
Two mid-stage Core Formation, three early-stage Core Formation, and a large group of False Core corpse puppets were all dealt with in an instant.
Passing through the tunnel, a dim yellow light shone down from the sky, revealing a range of mountains ahead, lush with greenery, trees forming forests, and countless medicinal herbs growing on the mountains, their fragrance wafting through the air.
This was a vast medicinal garden!
Having grown for countless millennia, it had formed a grand scale.
Even though everyone was prepared, they couldn't help but be filled with awe at the sight of this medicinal garden.
Various ten-thousand-year-old spirit medicines were everywhere, and thousand-year-old ones were countless, covering the mountains and fields.
On a peak, there was a bamboo grove, with one particularly striking golden giant bamboo, the Ten-thousand-year Gold Thunder Bamboo.
Without a word, Zhang Tie rushed over, only to collide with a light barrier, revealing a seal.
This seal isolated the medicinal garden from the world, visible but not passable.
"Leave this place!"
Suddenly, a sinister voice came from within the medicinal garden.
A figure covered in red hair emerged from a crack in the mountains ahead, its appearance unclear, but with a pair of glowing eyes watching the crowd.
...194...
Is this the Corpse King of this place?"
Xu Qingfeng's expression was grave as he quietly took out the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.
A corpse puppet of this level not only had a formidable physical body but also terrifying spells, and even a hint of intelligence, making it ten times harder to deal with than ordinary mindless corpse puppets.
"Leave, leave..."
The Red-haired Corpse King murmured hoarsely, repeating the same two words over and over.
At this moment, the rogue cultivators from behind also caught up.
Seeing Xu Hei ahead, their expressions changed dramatically. One young cultivator pointed at him and said, "Seniors, it's him, he killed Yu Hao and the others, please..."
"Shut up!"
A middle-aged man beside him immediately pulled the young man aside, covering his mouth.
The young cultivator was puzzled and looked at his elder.
"Fool! He just killed someone, do you think the Chu Tian Alliance wouldn't know? And he's standing at the forefront, walking alongside the Chu Tian Alliance, don't you understand?" the middle-aged man said in a deep voice.
The young cultivator suddenly realized, his face turning a mix of green and red, looking extremely embarrassed.
The middle-aged man said no more, quickly retreating and pulling the young man away.
As rogue cultivators, they weren't foolish enough to truly consider themselves part of the Chu Tian Alliance. They were merely borrowing the name to intimidate some demonic path cultivators.
Along the way, they had gained quite a few benefits, and their safety was assured. If they dared to push their luck, it would be courting death.
After all, aside from Xu Qingfeng, the leader of the Chu Tian Alliance, the other members were not good people.
"Amitabha!"
Kuxuan started with a meaningless phrase, looking at Xu Hei with a smile, "Benefactor, your good deed just now, this humble monk saw it. Are you planning to take refuge in my Buddha?"
Good deed... Xu Hei pursed his lips and said, "Let's deal with this Corpse King first."
Being recognized at a glance didn't surprise Xu Hei. He just couldn't tell if this Kuxuan was a Buddha or a demon.
At this moment, the Corpse King's gaze grew fiercer. Emerging from the ground, he walked out of the seal, murmuring "leave" repeatedly.
His entire body was covered in red hair, towering like a giant. Even in ancient times, he would have been extremely rare. As he walked, a whirlwind of red hair swept through the heavens and earth.
The sky darkened, a chilling wind howled, producing ghostly wails, and a powerful oppressive force swept out, sending shivers down everyone's spine.
Xu Qingfeng's expression was heavy as he clasped his hands and said, "Senior, we only wish to use this place..."
"Non-sect alchemists are forbidden to enter, leave! Leave..."
The Red-haired Corpse King continued to murmur, stepping out of the seal, a torrent of corpse Qi surged forth, nauseating and maddening. Xu Qingfeng immediately raised an invisible wall to block the corpse Qi.
"Non-sect alchemists..."
Xu Hei's eyes flickered imperceptibly.
At this moment, a startled cry came from the side, murmuring, "Impossible! This is impossible!"
Everyone looked over to see Zhao Wenzhuo holding a tortoiseshell, his eyes filled with shock, as if he had calculated something unbelievable.
"What happened?" Xu Qingfeng asked.
"Someone has been here before us!" Zhao Wenzhuo said gravely.
At these words, everyone was stunned, unable to believe it.
Zhang Tie quickly asked, "Are you sure?"
"It can't be false! But I'm not sure if it's a person or something else," Zhao Wenzhuo said with a heavy expression.
"Perhaps it's just a corpse puppet."
The vulture beside them interjected.
Despite this, they didn't plan to dawdle any longer. Someone had entered before them, and the situation could develop unpredictably, so they had to act quickly!
"Take action!"
Zhang Tie's body transformed, swelling to ten meters tall, becoming a towering giant, wielding the Star-shattering Hammer, and smashed it towards the Corpse King's forehead.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal clashing rang out as strands of red hair grew along the hammer, and red hair began to sprout on Zhang Tie's hand.
"Purify!"
A "purify" character appeared above Zhang Tie's head, dispersing the red hair, but he was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall, spitting blood.
Xu Qingfeng unfolded the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, spat a bit of essence blood onto the scroll, and shouted:
"Azure clouds and white robes, draw the long arrow and shoot the Sirius!"
In an instant, azure light filled the sky, enveloping his body. On the scroll, a phantom of a bow-drawing archer appeared, shooting an arrow that hit the Red-haired Corpse King right between the eyes.
"Roar!"
The Corpse King let out a low roar, his body was shot and pinned to the stone wall, but the red hair whirlwind grew fiercer, forming a tornado storm, roaring forward, shaking the entire ground as if the sky was about to collapse.
Everyone was horrified and retreated rapidly.
Two slower rogue cultivators were merely grazed by the storm, and their bodies were immediately covered in red hair, turning into monstrous creatures, losing their sanity, and biting at others.
Kuxuan flicked his finger, sending out a golden light, and the two were instantly reduced to ashes.
Even a slight touch from the red hair whirlwind would spell doom!
Xu Hei's face was ashen as he retreated rapidly. Even among Core Formation stage cultivators, the gap between each small realm was like a chasm, insurmountable from early to mid-stage, and mid to late-stage.
He originally thought of trying to use the female corpse's token to sneak in, but decided against it, too dangerous!
And at this moment.
Xu Hei suddenly felt a chill, a strong sense of crisis coming from behind, making his scalp tingle.
This was a feeling from his true self, a cold stream rushing from his spine to his crown, causing his mind to buzz.
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
Xu Hei instantly used his movement technique to dodge to the side.
The next moment, a terrifying blood-colored handprint came crashing from behind, rumbling as it passed, turning people into blood mist, smashing them into meat paste.
Even the narrow passage was widened by the impact.
Although Xu Hei dodged in time, he was still affected, half of his puppet's body was gone, and his true self spat blood, almost crashing into the rock wall.
Taking advantage of the attack's gap, Xu Hei saw the person approaching from behind.
It was an old man wearing a straw hat, his face expressionless, with no detectable aura, completely concealing himself.
If not for the lingering sense of crisis, Xu Hei might have mistaken him for an ordinary old man.
"Late Core Formation stage!"
Xu Hei's pupils contracted, a thought like lightning flashed through his mind, immediately recalling the person who had used a shocking handprint on him in Wuyou City.
That handprint had appeared without warning, crashing down from the sky, covering all possible positions he could be in.
If not for his innate sense of danger, that palm would have surely taken his life!
Now, that person had appeared once again.
"Hmph!"
The straw hat elder remained expressionless, walking forward, raising his hand to unleash countless handprints, causing the rogue cultivators to explode into blood and flesh, shattering into pieces.
This was indiscriminate killing.
Zhou Qing, late Core Formation stage.
He hadn't followed the main group, but instead advanced at full speed, surpassing everyone, making him the first to arrive.
Zhou Qing didn't know who the target was, only guessing that the person might be seeking protection from the Chu Tian Alliance, hiding among the rogue cultivators.
This made it simple, kill everyone, leave no one alive.
It was an undeniably simple and effective method.
Although it might offend some people, he was nearing the end of his lifespan, relying on the Longevity Pill to survive, so he wasn't afraid. Moreover, he had hidden his identity.
Along the way, countless rogue cultivators had died at his hands, but he hadn't found the suspected target.
"Poof!"
Suddenly, his handprint struck something soft like cotton, losing most of its power.
This made Zhou Qing pause, and he looked closely to see a white-bearded elder holding a horsetail whisk, squinting at him.
"Zhou Family's ancestor, don't overdo it, beware of karmic retribution," Tianji Shangren said coldly.
....195...
"Karma?"
Zhou Qing smiled faintly; it was the first time he had heard such a term.
The palm strike just now was merely a casual blow from him, easily blocked by Tianji Shangren, nothing surprising.
If he wished, he could kill this person at any time, but considering the Penglai Island behind Tianji Shangren, even the Qin Kingdom hadn't dared to invade, he dismissed the thought.
"Every cause has an effect. The sins of today will be repaid in the future! If not in this life, then in the next; if not on oneself, then on one's children. That's all I'll say. Whether you listen or not is up to you," Tianji Shangren said coldly.
"Annoying!"
Zhou Qing's eyes turned icy as he raised his hand and sent a palm strike, sending Tianji Shangren flying into a corner, his face turning pale.
This old Taoist didn't know his place, daring to curse him. Did he really think Zhou Qing wouldn't dare to kill him?
"I heard you're skilled in divination. Why don't you calculate how long I have left to live?" Zhou Qing sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Tianji Shangren snorted coldly, actually starting to calculate, but soon his expression changed to one of shock.
"Oh? What's the result?" Zhou Qing asked with a smile.
Tianji Shangren remained silent, but his eyes were filled with unmistakable astonishment.
"Hahaha!"
Zhou Qing laughed heartily, not pressing further, and turned to walk deeper into the tunnel.
"The ancestor of the Zhou Family, it really is the Zhou Family..."
Xu Hei's mind raced, his scalp tingling with fear.
At this moment, Zhou Qing was approaching step by step, and two more rogue cultivators attempting to escape were killed with a single palm strike.
If Xu Hei were to emerge from the stone wall now, he would surely be targeted on the spot.
Should he use the Small Teleportation Talisman?
Or the Black Dragon Pagoda?
The Black Dragon Pagoda consumed too much energy and might not ensure escape. With this old undying one's experience, he surely had a countermeasure.
The Small Teleportation Talisman, who knows where it would transport him.
Moreover, Zhou Qing had been holding something in his hand, hidden in his sleeve. Knowing Xu Hei had a Small Teleportation Talisman, he must have been prepared!
As soon as there was a hint of spatial fluctuation, Zhou Qing would likely react instantly!
Xu Hei could use the Small Teleportation Talisman to escape once, but how could the opponent not know he would try to escape a second time?
Instead, it might expose him.
Against such a cunning opponent, Xu Hei couldn't afford a single mistake; a mistake meant death!
"This is the only way!"
Xu Hei took a deep breath and made up his mind.
While Xu Hei was contemplating, Zhou Qing killed five more people, becoming even more reckless.
Even when some rogue cultivators revealed their identities, they were mercilessly killed by Zhou Qing.
At this rate, in just two breaths, Zhou Qing would be right in front of Xu Hei.
Xu Hei quickly stored half of the puppet into his Storage Bag, swallowed an explosive essence pill, and his blood began to burn, focusing his mind to a single point.
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
In this life-and-death crisis, Xu Hei unleashed unprecedented speed.
He burst into flames, like a black lightning bolt, shooting out from the stone wall, racing towards the ancient medicinal garden ahead.
His speed was indescribable, leaving countless afterimages in mid-air, appearing in all directions, filling the sky.
This was the third layer of the perfected Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, with countless afterimages, making it impossible to find the true body!
Xu Hei didn't use an External Incarnation but relied on his true form, achieving his peak speed, faster than even the Core Formation Stage!
The moment Xu Hei moved, Zhou Qing also acted.
He flicked a Talisman of Forbidden Spirit, which shattered in mid-air, creating a space devoid of spirit, prohibiting all spells and talismans.
Even the Small Teleportation Talisman could be forcibly interrupted, one of Zhou Qing's trump cards.
However, it was ineffective against the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon.
"Hmm?"
Zhou Qing was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting this, but he reacted swiftly, raising his hand to scatter all the afterimages in an instant.
"Gravity Technique!"
He seamlessly raised his hand, exerting a powerful gravitational force on the remaining Xu Hei, holding him firmly and pulling him back.
In the blink of an eye, Xu Hei was pulled close.
But then Zhou Qing's expression froze.
The Xu Hei he had caught was not the true body but an External Incarnation!
"When did he create an incarnation? I didn't notice at all!"
Zhou Qing's heart was shaken.
An External Incarnation could only be created at the fourth layer of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon. In this life-and-death moment, Xu Hei naturally broke through under mental stimulation.
Zhou Qing looked ahead, seeing Xu Hei's true form already rushing into the whirlwind of red hair.
At this moment, Xu Hei felt an unbearable itch all over his body, as strange energy drilled into him, as if trying to grow red hair. But he gritted his teeth, took out a Token from his Storage Bag, and sped up again, rushing towards the sealed area.
The Red-haired Corpse King on the wall roared, about to raise a hand to stop him, but upon seeing the Token, its expression froze, and even the whirlwind of red hair around Xu Hei weakened slightly.
"Whoosh!"
Xu Hei slipped into the sealed light barrier without any obstruction, passing through and disappearing.
At this moment.
The outside world was in a daze.
Not only Zhou Qing was stunned, but even the members of the Chu Tian Alliance were bewildered.
No one expected a snake to rush into the light barrier first, without being stopped by the ancient seal.
Seeing the Red-haired Corpse King's expression and recalling Xu Hei's previous actions, they immediately realized it must have been due to the Token.
"Hmph! You won't escape!"
Zhou Qing stomped his foot, raising a golden light shield, and charged towards the seal. Any red hair that touched him ignited into flames, quickly burning away.
He took out a golden seal, striking the formation with it, causing it to tremble and the world to crack.
"A mere remnant of an ancient formation dares to stop me?"
Zhou Qing's eyes were cold as he smashed the seal again, the deafening roar causing cracks in the formation.
The Red-haired Corpse King, like a mad demon, broke free from the arrows, its eyes flashing with lightning, roaring like thunder, charging at Zhou Qing.
...
Meanwhile.
As soon as Xu Hei entered the ancient medicinal garden, he was enveloped by a rich medicinal fragrance, and even the strange energy within him dissipated rapidly, with the corpse Qi being expelled from his body.
Just by taking a breath, Xu Hei felt purified.
Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief, collapsing to the ground.
He had taken a huge risk earlier, testing with the Token. If it hadn't worked, he would have had to use his trump card.
Fortunately, he succeeded!
The Red-haired Corpse King indeed recognized the Token.
"This Zhou Family ancestor is a problem. I must find a way to eliminate him!" Xu Hei thought with resentment.
Twice he had nearly been killed, all thanks to this person.
Such an old undying one, who doesn't play by the rules, must be killed to eliminate future troubles. Any talk of shifting hatred to the Chu Tian Alliance was nonsense! The opponent was targeting him!
In fact, it was understandable. He had opened the Earth Path and emerged from the pyramid, surely possessing countless treasures. Not coveting him would be abnormal.
Xu Hei exhaled, refocusing his thoughts, and looked around.
This medicinal mountain was vast, filled with a dazzling array of medicinal herbs, most of which he didn't recognize or had never heard of. Thousand-year-old herbs were everywhere, and there were quite a few ten-thousand-year-old ones.
These relics from ancient times, even a single blade of grass, would be worth a fortune.
Even the soil here had remarkable medicinal properties.
This place was visible from the outside, yet no sound from outside could be heard. Xu Hei looked back, seeing the Corpse King and Zhou Qing locked in battle, fighting fiercely, blood and light filling the sky, shaking the surroundings, with the tunnel showing signs of collapse, but it didn't affect the formation inside.
This ancient formation isolated the area, like a paradise.
Xu Hei glanced at the cracks in the formation, feeling cautious. This ancient formation wasn't unbreakable, and he needed to scour the area as quickly as possible.
Of course, he couldn't take everything, or he'd become a target for everyone.
....196...
Xu Hei sprang into action, arriving in front of a millennia-old Purple Flame Vine. As the vine lashed out at him with a whistling sound, he exclaimed, "It's sentient!"
Startled, Xu Hei dodged and then bit down on the vine, pulling it from the ground and storing it in a Void Stone.
It's not uncommon for plants that have lived for thousands of years to become sentient. Just as humans and demonic beasts can cultivate, plants can naturally gain sentience after surviving for millennia, although the process is much more arduous.
Xu Hei moved to another patch of grass, but before he could act, a carrot-shaped creature emerged from the ground and tried to flee. Its roots acted like human legs, propelling it swiftly, faster than most at the Foundation Establishment Stage could catch.
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
Xu Hei moved like lightning, capturing the "carrot" in an instant. It was a thirty-thousand-year-old Earth Spirit Fruit, which began to wail like a baby once caught, its cries sharp and piercing.
Xu Hei knocked it unconscious with a flick of his tail and stored it in a Void Stone. A plant of thirty thousand years is far more valuable than one of ten thousand years.
Continuing his spree, Xu Hei collected several other millennia-old medicinal herbs, not sparing even those of a thousand years, gathering about ten in total.
"I'm rich, I'm rich! Just selling these would be worth a fortune, beyond estimation!"
Xu Hei's heart raced with excitement, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. With so many eyes watching from outside, keeping his bounty was another matter entirely.
Especially the Zhou Family's patriarch, who, despite showing no expression, radiated a chilling killing intent that Xu Hei could sense even through the seal.
...
Outside the passage.
The surviving rogue cultivators, having narrowly escaped death, fled in panic, with only a few daring to linger at a distance, their eyes fixed on the ancient medicinal garden, flickering with greed.
"Old Daoist, what did you see earlier?" Liu Buqun asked in a deep voice.
Tianji Shangren replied, "For someone like the Zhou Family's second patriarch, whose lifespan is at its end, there should be signs of death energy. I can recognize it at a glance, yet this person shows no such signs!"
"As for what I've divined, I can't tell you yet."
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Hearing this, Liu Buqun fell into deep thought, "Could it be that this person has some great fortune?"
Tianji Shangren merely shook his head with a cold smile, "Great fortune wouldn't belong to someone like him. It belongs to those destined by fate..."
At this point, Tianji Shangren suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining with unprecedented brilliance.
"Such strong luck, this time there's no mistake!"
He stood up and walked towards the cave's entrance.
Meanwhile, the main forces of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Bai Family, Zhou Family, and the four sects of the Southern Region had arrived at the entrance of the Blood Corpse Cave, advancing inside.
...
After a thorough search, Xu Hei had taken most of the inconspicuous medicinal herbs. The garden looked much the same as before, but its scattered components had been cleaned out by Xu Hei.
Most of the spirit medicines were a thousand years old, and he only took ten of the ten-thousand-year ones, with three being sentient, a low ratio.
Additionally, Xu Hei noticed signs that some herbs had been previously harvested. Only a few low-grade thousand-year ones were taken, and if Xu Hei hadn't been observant, he wouldn't have noticed these details.
"Zhao Wenzhuo mentioned someone had entered here earlier, and it seems true!"
Xu Hei looked around. Besides the harvested herbs, the person left no other traces.
Xu Hei didn't dwell on it, just kept it in mind.
At this moment, many precious spirit medicines remained in the garden.
Xu Hei's eyes flashed as he brought out a corpse puppet, placing it in front of a massive Rafflesia.
He had never seen this flower before and didn't know its species. Its pistil emitted a bloody scent, seemingly to lure creatures closer.
Suddenly, the Rafflesia lunged, like a monstrous maw, swallowing the puppet whole in an instant.
Its attack speed was comparable to the Core Formation Stage!
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In Xu Hei's perception, the puppet was instantly digested, becoming nourishment for the giant flower.
"This thing is indeed not to be trifled with!"
Xu Hei had suspected the flower was unusual from the start, and testing it with a puppet confirmed it.
Xu Hei glanced at the hundred-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo atop the peak and the formation about to shatter behind him, quickly abandoning the idea of digging it up.
Even if he succeeded, the group outside wouldn't let him go.
The risk was too great, so Xu Hei decisively gave up.
He took out a Small Teleportation Talisman, ready to activate it, but suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Instinctively, he felt this place was unsuitable for teleportation!
Based on past experiences, using it here had a high chance of teleporting him into the mountains, requiring multiple uses to escape.
Even if he luckily appeared on the surface, he could easily get lost or encounter danger.
"Better to trust the known than gamble on the unknown," Xu Hei thought, putting away the Small Teleportation Talisman.
The soil here had the same effect as the stone walls outside, blocking Divine Sense.
Xu Hei made a quick decision, placing a puppet outside, then using an Invisibility Talisman to hide himself in a pit.
This spot was originally where a spirit medicine grew, now occupied by Xu Hei.
Using dragon scales to dig, he tunneled several hundred feet deep.
His hiding place was absolutely undetectable.
Of course, this wasn't enough.
Xu Hei continued digging, but soon hit something resembling an iron plate, blocking further progress.
"What's beneath here..."
Xu Hei's pupils contracted.
"Boom!!"
A roar came from outside as the sealing formation was completely shattered, and everyone rushed into the medicinal garden.
Zhou Qing wasted no time, heading straight for the back of the garden, his only target being Xu Hei.
Not to mention the treasures Xu Hei carried, the herbs he dug up alone had to be seized!
"Leave it to me!"
Xu Qingfeng threw a "Stop" character above Zhou Qing's head, momentarily freezing him.
Xu Hei didn't hesitate, controlling the puppet to activate a teleportation talisman.
"Buzz!"
A spatial ripple flashed, and the puppet was instantly teleported away.
Xu Hei lost contact with the puppet, not knowing where it had been sent. If the distance was too great, this would happen.
In the garden, Zhou Qing also sensed the strong spatial fluctuation. With a swift movement, he arrived at the spot where Xu Hei's puppet had disappeared, his face darkening.
"You escaped again!" Zhou Qing's face turned ashen.
As expected, if he were in the other's shoes, facing a late Core Formation Stage pursuer, he would do the same. It was the optimal solution.
But he didn't know that what had just been teleported wasn't Xu Hei himself, but merely a puppet.
However, Zhou Qing had no time to ponder further.
At this moment, members of the Chu Tian Alliance began harvesting herbs, and a few fearless rogue cultivators also entered, digging up thousand-year spirit medicines.
Zhou Qing sensed the approaching main forces, heading straight for this place.
"Longevity Pill! Even without the Longevity Pill, there might be longevity spirit medicines!"
Zhou Qing spread his Divine Sense, scanning the various herbs in the garden. Even with his knowledge, many were unfamiliar.
He didn't care, grabbing a handful of spirit medicines and stuffing them into his storage bag, then heading straight for the Gold Thunder Bamboo at the mountain's peak.
....197...
Xu Hei was completely unaware of what was happening outside.
At the moment, an iron plate blocked his path downward. Xu Hei pondered for a moment and began digging to the side along the edge of the iron plate.
The iron plate didn't extend infinitely and had bends. Xu Hei continued digging downward along the edges.
It took Xu Hei a full half-hour of digging before he finally saw what it was.
It was a massive square secret chamber, entirely made of metal, with only one entrance at the front, sealed off by iron plates everywhere else.
"There's a secret chamber beneath this herb garden. What's it used for?"
Xu Hei reached the entrance, staring at the dark doorway ahead, feeling a bit hesitant.
At this moment, sounds of battle could be heard outside. Although his Divine Sense couldn't probe out, the terrifying fluctuations of the battle kept resonating, with spells roaring—definitely a clash between cultivators at the mid-stage Core Formation or higher!
Xu Hei estimated the time; the people from the Heavenly Puppet Sect should be arriving soon.
He definitely didn't dare to go out. Looking at the door in front of him, Xu Hei pondered briefly and then made a decision.
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, External Incarnation!"
Xu Hei's figure became blurry, and shadows shot out from his body, overlapping infinitely beside him.
When the number of shadows reached its limit, they solidified, turning into a real entity, transforming into a black snake identical to Xu Hei himself!
This was the External Incarnation!
External Incarnation was considered a relatively advanced secret technique in major sects, typically mastered only by those at the Core Formation stage or some prodigies.
Xu Hei, in a moment of crisis, had a sudden inspiration, evolving the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to the fourth level, naturally using the incarnation.
One must admit, the growth speed in dangerous environments is always faster than in comfortable ones, which is an advantage.
The downside is the risk of dying.
Xu Hei wouldn't deliberately put himself in danger just for growth; he was purely forced into it.
At this moment, Xu Hei looked at the incarnation in front of him, and the incarnation looked back at him.
This felt different from a puppet; both seemed like himself, able to be controlled at will, and casting spells felt more natural.
He could even use the incarnation to control a puppet.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Xu Hei felt that the incarnation created by the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was more advanced than others, almost indistinguishable from the real thing!
Even Zhou Qing couldn't tell at first glance, only realizing the truth when he caught it in his hand.
Xu Hei took out the ancient bell he had snatched. He had already refined it, and it was called the Bell of Chaos.
Inside the bell, a spell was engraved, named Chaos Wave, which had a strong restraining effect on corpse puppets. As long as it was struck, the Chaos Wave would automatically be released.
Xu Hei had reason to suspect that this bell originated from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
Xu Hei sent out the incarnation, holding the Bell of Chaos, and crawled into the dark doorway.
He didn't know what was inside, so he used the incarnation to probe first.
"Whoosh!"
Passing through the door, Xu Hei didn't feel any obstruction and entered the secret chamber.
"This is..."
In an instant, Xu Hei was stunned.
Inside the chamber, a series of pills were neatly displayed on the counter, with remnants of medicinal herbs on the ground, very fresh, and various medicinal fragrances floating in the air.
It showed that someone had been here not long ago.
The pill bottles on the counter were all ancient, with the names of the pills written on them.
Xu Hei glanced over and couldn't help but widen his eyes, almost dropping his jaw in shock.
"Longevity Pill, Longevity Pill, Longevity Pill..."
There were many pills here, and surprisingly, half of them were Longevity Pills.
The other half were pills that Xu Hei was familiar with.
"Rejuvenation Pill, Blood Replenishing Pill, Awakening Pills..."
Looking at these familiar pills, Xu Hei smiled bitterly inside. He activated his Gravity Technique and pulled two bottles of pills over.
The pill bottles were ancient relics, but the pills inside were modern concoctions.
Xu Hei already understood who had been here before.
—Xu Bai.
Xu Bai had left a jade slip saying she had found a pill refining holy land. He didn't expect it to be here.
He just couldn't figure out how Xu Bai had reached this place, which was fraught with danger, where a slight mistake could cost one's life.
Not to mention the Red-haired Corpse King and the various corpse puppets in the Blood Corpse Cave, just getting here without Core Formation cultivation and incredible luck would be nearly impossible.
Xu Hei naturally knew that Xu Bai was researching the Longevity Pill.
He casually pulled over a bottle of Longevity Pills. The pills inside were emerald green, full of vitality, yet for some reason, Xu Hei had a gut feeling that this pill should never be consumed!
And on the surface of the Longevity Pill, there was a cross mark, which Xu Bai usually wouldn't make.
This only indicated that there was something wrong with this pill!
Xu Hei pondered briefly, took away some Longevity Pills, and left only three bottles.
He also took all the other pills, then took out some empty pill bottles he found in the corpse puppet's room and placed them here.
Afterward, he collected the fresh herb remnants on the ground, sprinkled some dust, and perfectly simulated the appearance of an ancient pill refining room.
After some arrangements, Xu Hei couldn't guarantee to fool everyone, but deceiving over ninety-nine percent was enough.
"Where has Xu Bai gone?"
Xu Hei took out the jade slip Xu Bai left behind, inserted his Divine Sense into it, and roughly sensed that the direction was towards Wuyou City.
...
At this moment, the struggle in the herb garden had reached a fever pitch.
The spirit medicines here were not defenseless; they all had strong offensive capabilities.
A Rafflesia could swallow a Core Formation cultivator, and a bomb tree would throw explosive fruits when approached, easily injuring a Core Formation cultivator.
There was also an eighty-thousand-year-old willow tree, with willow branches like flying swords, possessing strength comparable to mid-stage Core Formation.
The hundred-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo even had late Core Formation cultivation.
However, plants were still plants; as long as they couldn't move, humans had ways to deal with them.
The premise was human unity.
When Zhang Tie exhausted all his strength to cut a piece of Gold Thunder Bamboo, only to be ambushed by the Zhou Family's ancestor, things took an unpredictable turn.
Initially, both sides were harmoniously harvesting, taking what they needed, but now, a life-and-death battle had erupted.
After a round of fighting, both sides were heavily injured and retreated.
As the main forces of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Snake Catchers Sect, and others entered the scene, the Chu Tian Alliance immediately faced a life-and-death crisis, on the brink of annihilation.
Lei He, Zhou Qingxuan, the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, and others—ten Core Formation cultivators in total—were completely unmatched against the two from the Chu Tian Alliance.
The passage was blocked, and the perimeter of the Blood Corpse Cave was also sealed.
There was no way to escape, no way to retreat; it was a certain death situation!
However, in the face of such a desperate situation, the Chu Tian Alliance showed no sign of panic.
"If you dare to make a move, I'll destroy this herb garden, and no one will get any benefits!"
Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll, ready to unfold it, releasing a world-destroying wave, causing even the space to tremble as if it would collapse.
"And all the corpse puppets suppressed here, I'll lift all the seals and see how you deal with the corpse puppet army!"
Xu Qingfeng's first statement only made everyone hesitate.
The second statement made everyone's faces change dramatically.
As Xu Qingfeng raised his hand, the sealed Red-haired Corpse King outside let out a roar, a red-haired whirlwind rising, ready to crawl out from the ground.
Everyone was shocked and could no longer remain calm.
"Stop! We agree to a ceasefire!"
Lei He hurriedly shouted, stopping Xu Qingfeng's reckless actions...
....198...
Xu Qingfeng, as a leader of the Chu Tian Alliance, although upright in his conduct, often found himself at a disadvantage in the ruthless Cultivation World. However, he was far from foolish.
He had long anticipated that among the rogue cultivators under the Chu Tian Alliance, there might be spies, leading enemies to surround this place.
The corpse puppets outside were not something he couldn't kill; rather, he intentionally suppressed and sealed them.
This was his trump card, a bargaining chip for negotiations.
With just a thought, the seal would break, and this place would be heavily surrounded by the army of corpse puppets, leaving no chance for escape.
Even if a few managed to escape by luck, most would face a dead end.
"No wonder you're the leader of the rebels, such a clever tactic!" Lei He said, his face pale with anger.
"You're too kind! We've been developing this place for three days, and the suppressed corpse puppets number in the hundreds, if not thousands. If you give it your all, maybe two or three of you can survive," Xu Qingfeng sneered.
Everyone fell silent.
Even the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, who was exuding a sinister aura as if about to go berserk, remained silent. He wasn't foolish enough to fight the corpse puppets head-on.
"Have you found the Longevity Pill?" Zhou Qing asked.
"I've only seen it in Historical Projections," Bai Luo replied.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Zhou Qing sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed. He had come to the ancient relics to extend his life, how could he return empty-handed?
Zhou Wendie, seeing that the ancestor had forgotten the main issue, hurriedly sent a voice transmission: "Ancestor, my Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes..."
Hearing this, Zhou Qing finally looked at Xu Qingfeng and transmitted: "Name your price for the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes. Our Zhou Family runs the Myriad Treasure Pavilion; we can afford any price!"
Xu Qingfeng did not immediately refuse. He smiled and said, "Let's discuss this matter outside."
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes flickered.
The Zhou Family communicated through Divine Sense.
But Xu Qingfeng spoke openly in front of everyone.
Could it be that the Zhou Family had private dealings with the Chu Tian Alliance? This made those present suspicious.
Zhou Qing immediately realized he had been set up. He wanted to explain, but as a second ancestor, he couldn't bring himself to do so, so he just snorted coldly.
Zhou Qingxuan quickly explained, "Wendie's Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes were taken by that demon and handed over to the Chu Tian Alliance. Our Zhou Family is negotiating to buy them back."
His explanation only made things worse, as everyone showed strange expressions.
We weren't suspecting you, so why explain?
Is there no silver here?
Moreover, Zhou Qing was the first to arrive here, bypassing everyone else to meet with the Chu Tian Alliance, which was quite intriguing.
"Xu Qingfeng, there's no need for such petty tricks to sow discord. Do you really think we're fools?" Yin Mingzi spoke coldly.
Smart people could naturally see through the ploy, but there was never a shortage of foolish teammates.
They just didn't show it.
Moreover, there were some troublemakers within the coalition.
"Qiushui, what do you think?"
The Bai Family had also sent an elder named Bai Zhong to protect Bai Qiushui's safety.
"Our Bai Family should best avoid getting involved in such disputes and not be used as pawns," Bai Qiushui said calmly.
"I agree! These rebels are not simple; let Qin Xuanji handle it. Isn't he capable?" Another member of the Bai Family echoed.
Unknowingly, different voices emerged within the coalition.
Subsequently, the medicine garden fell into a brief peace.
Everyone turned their attention back to the Spirit Medicines scattered across the mountains.
They had attempted to attack the ten-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo several times, only breaking a few branches, unable to shake the main trunk.
Helpless, they turned their attention to other Spirit Medicines.
Some had scouted the surroundings and discovered that the medicine garden had boundaries. Beyond the mountain, a protective layer appeared, and passing through it led to a void space, seemingly the end of the ancient relic.
Others began digging downward, finding that the soil here was rich in Spiritual Qi, a rare spiritual soil.
Even if they couldn't find Spirit Medicines, taking some soil back would be beneficial.
...
At this moment, Xu Hei had searched the secret chamber thoroughly. Besides the Pills left by Xu Bai, he also found a decayed bamboo sword.
The bamboo sword was pitch black and had been in the corner for an unknown number of years, yet it hadn't completely rotted away.
However, the Spiritual Power on it had long dissipated, turning it into a piece of decayed wood.
Xu Hei didn't let it go and carefully stored it away.
At this time, his true self outside the secret chamber suddenly felt the ground shaking.
"They're digging down, as expected."
Xu Hei's heart tightened. He wasn't surprised that the underground would be discovered.
His avatar immediately left the secret chamber, digging in the opposite direction of the vibrations, using dragon scales to clear the way, while his true self followed behind, filling in the excavation traces.
Before long, he reached a position only ten meters from the surface and stopped.
At this distance, if he exerted all his strength, he could break through in an instant.
Moments later.
"Look! What have I found!"
"There's an underground cave dwelling here!"
The two who first discovered the secret chamber rushed in, sweeping away all the Pills inside, without suspecting it was a setup.
These two were elders from the Tai Xuan Sect in the Southern Region. They didn't dare to snatch Spirit Medicines, so they could only dig for spiritual soil and pick up leftovers.
Seeing such a great opportunity, they didn't hesitate and rushed in.
However, the news quickly leaked, and Lei He and Zhou Qing found their way there, taking all the gains from the two.
Zhou Qing naturally ended up with a Longevity Pill.
He looked at the pill bottle in his hand, hesitated for a while, and didn't open the seal, carefully storing it away.
Spreading his Divine Sense, he scanned the searched secret chamber, frowning as his thoughts raced.
"If there were more Longevity Pills, I could let someone else try one first. Unfortunately, there are only three."
Zhou Qing suspected that the Pills might have been swapped.
Ancient Pills and modern Pills had very distinct differences, but the Longevity Pill in front of him was too rare, matching ancient records perfectly, not seeming fake.
Moreover, the pill bottle was indeed from ancient times.
Zhou Qing couldn't make up his mind and decided to set it aside for now.
"Buzz!"
Suddenly, intense spatial fluctuations came from outside, causing terrifying ripples.
"Not good, it's the Minor Teleportation Formation!"
"The Chu Tian Alliance is trying to escape!"
Shouts of alarm came from outside.
"Damn it!"
Zhou Qing and Lei He exchanged glances and rushed towards the surface at the fastest speed.
They had been careless! As late Core Formation stage cultivators, they had been so focused on the underground opportunity that they overlooked the Chu Tian Alliance's small actions!
They could accept the Chu Tian Alliance leaving, but they had to leave together!
If the Chu Tian Alliance left first and released the corpse puppets, it would be a disaster! They would have played a time trick, slipping away first and leaving the others trapped by the corpse puppets, with dire consequences!
"Boom!!"
The surface exploded as Xu Hei's figure shot into the sky.
He had also heard the shouts from outside and made a decisive move, breaking through the surface, his gaze instantly locking onto a massive Formation in the distance.
The Minor Teleportation Formation, once used by Hei Huang at the Purple Mist Sect, was something Xu Hei could recognize at a glance.
....199...
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
Xu Hei's speed reached its peak, entering the Minor Teleportation Formation almost the instant it activated, enveloped by spatial light.
Inside the formation, several people appeared simultaneously, all members of the Chu Tian Alliance.
Zhang Tie, Ku Xuan, the Silver-haired Witch, Xiao Chou, Zhao Wenzhuo, and the Vulture.
A few rogue cultivators also rushed in.
Seeing Xu Hei enter, everyone was slightly surprised.
Ku Xuan nodded in greeting, Zhang Tie remained expressionless, Xiao Chou was full of excitement, Zhao Wenzhuo's pupils contracted as he took out a tortoiseshell to calculate fortunes.
The Silver-haired Witch stayed icy cold, not even glancing at him.
The Vulture warily retreated a few steps, perching on Ku Xuan's shoulder.
Everyone's expressions varied, but it was clear Xu Qingfeng had informed them not to stop Xu Hei.
Xu Qingfeng did not enter; he stood outside the formation, holding the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, back to the crowd, protecting them.
Zhou Qing burst from the ground, eyes locked, and charged toward the formation without a word.
Upon seeing Xu Hei inside the formation, his pupils slightly contracted.
"It's you?"
Zhou Qing was surprised, instantly realizing that the one who had been teleported earlier was just a substitute, not the true form of this snake.
The snake's real body was hidden somewhere, only emerging now!
He had sensed something was amiss before; behind the medicine garden lay an endless void. Even if the snake teleported, where would it go? Entering the endless void was a dead end!
Now, it dawned on him that he had been tricked again!
In an instant, Zhou Qing's eyes erupted with a murderous intent that could no longer be contained.
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He took out a gray talisman and crushed it, blood seeping from his palm as he activated a spell. Blood-red runes rapidly spread from the shattered talisman.
Where the runes passed, even space trembled, forming a barrier as if to interrupt the teleportation waves.
"A fourth-level talisman?!"
The crowd behind exclaimed; the talisman Zhou Qing used was a fourth-level talisman, a Void Lock Talisman!
The Void Lock Talisman could lock space, prohibiting teleportation, a divine ability only Elemental Infant stage cultivators could wield, beyond mere spells.
Zhou Qing had prepared ample means for this expedition, and this was one of his trump cards. Without hesitation, he used it to trap the opponent.
"The wind is cold at Yi River, the warrior goes never to return!"
Xu Qingfeng, holding the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, recited loudly. From the book floated a long poem, coalescing into a black figure.
This figure, holding a blade, exuded an extremely chilling killing intent, even hinting at the Elemental Infant stage's aura.
The aura of life and death, a thought of life, a thought of death!
This was the insight of an Elemental Infant cultivator before bravely facing death, transformed into verses and integrated into the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.
Words became poetry, infused with aura, presenting power far beyond ordinary single words!
"Kill!"
The black figure, like a blade, charged toward Zhou Qing's area, the indescribable aura of life and death instantly invading Zhou Qing's body.
In a flash, Zhou Qing's hair turned white, his eyebrows grayed, skin withered, as if on the brink of death in an instant.
"Ah!!"
Zhou Qing screamed and retreated, the Void Lock Talisman forcibly interrupted.
"God of War Avatar!"
Simultaneously, Lei He also acted.
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Holding a long spear, clad in battle armor, his whole body exuded fierce flames. Step by step, he advanced, a massive blood-colored figure appearing behind him, like a god of war on the battlefield, capable of slaughtering millions with a single thought!
Similarly, an indescribable aura of slaughter swept from the avatar, shaking the heavens and earth.
Another Elemental Infant cultivator's aura, the aura of slaughter!
In the past, the owner of this aura had slaughtered a million enemy troops, almost single-handedly conquering a nation. All captives were killed without mercy.
Endless slaughter forged the myth of Qin Kingdom's God of War, stepping into the Elemental Infant stage with the aura of slaughter!
And this was merely a remnant of that aura, instantly boosting Lei He's power, making him invincible within the Core Formation stage!
"Kill!"
Xu Qingfeng spat blood, marking the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.
The black figure, like an assassin rushing toward death, charged unhesitatingly at the blood-flaming God of War Avatar, colliding with a thunderous crash.
Heaven and earth shattered, the void broke, the great path roared!
This was a clash of Elemental Infant auras.
The aura of life and death against the aura of slaughter!
Xu Hei, within the Minor Teleportation Formation, was utterly stunned, his mind buzzing, unable to utter a word.
Everyone present was shocked, awed by the overwhelming aura.
"I can't calculate it!"
Zhao Wenzhuo looked at the tortoiseshell in his hand, then at Xu Hei, his expression grave.
In the blink of an eye!
At the moment of the two auras' collision, the Minor Teleportation Formation completed, activating immediately, spatial ripples enveloping everyone within.
"Buzz!"
The crowd within the formation vanished, transforming into streaks of light, traversing the void, teleporting outward.
This was not a random teleportation.
It had a direction, returning along the path they came, no different from an ordinary Small Teleportation Talisman. However, the talismans were limited, non-renewable, and due to war consumption, were scarce nationwide.
Perhaps due to interference from the battle, this teleportation did not move them far, stopping just outside the Blood Corpse Cave.
This place was familiar to everyone, not far from the exit, needing at most half an incense stick's time to leave.
Enough!
"Go!"
Everyone moved in unison, rushing toward the exit, aiming to escape as quickly as possible.
No one cared about Xu Qingfeng's fate; they had long reached an understanding. As rebels, no decision could afford a hint of hesitation.
Xu Hei also used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, about to rush out, but hadn't gone far when a sense of dread washed over him.
"Stay!"
A sharp voice echoed nearby.
Xu Hei hurriedly stopped, seeing a wall of golden flames rise before him, blocking his path, even warping the void with its heat.
Being burned by it would be disastrous.
Xu Hei squinted, looking to the side.
There stood a young girl in purple, graceful in figure, youthful in appearance, resembling Zhou Wenjun, but with golden flames flickering in her eyes, filled with fierce killing intent.
"Zhou Wendie."
A name suddenly surfaced in Xu Hei's mind.
"Swish, swish, swish..."
From the shadows on both sides and the front, numerous figures emerged, armed with magical treasures and talismans, fully equipped, the Zhou Family and Snake Catchers Sect guards stationed here.
They had set ambushes throughout the Blood Corpse Cave.
Zhou Wendie had even taken it upon herself to dispatch an additional Zhou Family team to guard the cave entrance, preventing any escape.
Zhou Qingxuan was among them, the strongest, having reached mid-stage Core Formation.
At this moment, they stared at the scales on Xu Hei, precisely as Bai Luo had described, the scales of the culprit.
....200..
They suffered a major setback with Bai Luo inside the pyramid, leading to mutual suspicion.
However, afterward, Bai Luo took the initiative to visit and share intelligence about the pyramid, suggesting a reconciliation.
Zhou Wendie naturally felt disdain; she almost died because of Bai Luo, so how could she just let it go lightly? On the surface, though, both sides had to maintain peace.
"It seems the guess was correct; the other party is indeed a snake, the one the ancestor is looking for!"
Zhou Qingxuan glanced at Xu Hei in the crowd. Such demonic beasts, more cunning than humans, were rare but not unheard of.
The demonic beasts appearing in the ruins were mostly human spirit pets, collaborating with humans, never seen acting alone.
Not to mention, this snake ventured into the pyramid alone, reaping various benefits.
"Attack!"
With a cold shout from Zhou Wendie, the ambushed army of cultivators surged forward, charging at the Chu Tian Alliance members. Various spells and magical treasures were unleashed, creating a spectacular scene.
The Chu Tian Alliance, including two rogue cultivators, had only eight people, while they faced more than twenty, outnumbered by more than double.
The Chu Tian Alliance members exchanged glances, with nothing more to say.
Just fight!
Demon Man Zhang Tie led the charge, his body swelling like a towering giant, swinging a massive hammer towards Zhou Qingxuan. Zhou Qingxuan dodged into the air to avoid the Core Formation stage battle affecting others.
"Namo Amitabha..."
Demon Monk Ku Xuan chanted the Rebirth Mantra, causing those casting spells to fall powerlessly from the sky as if losing their souls, their spells dissipating into nothingness.
"Zhou Ping, Zhou Cang, Xie Yuyan..."
The Silver-haired Witch maintained her habit of asking names before killing. Anyone she named froze involuntarily, their heads flying off, dying instantly.
These two were the main force of the Chu Tian Alliance, invincible below the Core Formation stage.
Xiao Chou and Zhao Wenzhuo, with slightly weaker cultivation, could only deal with some small fry.
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The other two rogue cultivators, having survived until now, were not mediocre, each picking a late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to fight, taking advantage of the chaos.
"Go, Baldy, kill them! Make us proud, Baldy!"
The Vulture stood behind Ku Xuan, cheering, seemingly without any combat ability.
Though the numbers seemed vastly different, after one round of confrontation, the other side instantly lost five people, while the Chu Tian Alliance remained unscathed.
This clearly showed the true strength of both sides.
Xu Hei was targeted by Zhou Wendie; he was her initial target.
"You little beast, today is your death day! Watch me kill you with my own hands, avenging Wenjun!"
Zhou Wendie's eyes swirled with flames, and where her gaze landed, a raging fire ignited, forming a sea of fire, sweeping towards Xu Hei like a fiery storm.
Xu Hei moved at full speed, leaving countless afterimages, but the flames were incredibly fast, burning all the afterimages. Wherever her gaze landed, even the void could catch fire.
"What a strange fire, is this the power of the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes?"
Xu Hei's eyes flickered.
At this moment, a False Core stage corpse puppet underground screamed, engulfed by the flames, burned to ashes. Xu Hei realized he must not let even a trace of this fire touch him.
Even a False Core could be instantly annihilated; this was an opponent beyond the limits of the Foundation Establishment stage.
Extreme Realm cultivators were all people with great opportunities and fortunes, possessing extraordinary talent and unique physiques, often with numerous magical treasures.
Zhou Wendie was one of them.
In fact, throughout the Qin Kingdom, only three people had reached the Extreme Realm of the Foundation Establishment stage.
"Falling Stars, Earth Spike, Lightning Strike Technique!"
Xu Hei instantly cast three spells, aiming at Zhou Wendie.
From above, below, front, and back, various spells appeared, attacking Zhou Wendie from all directions, but before they could get close, they were burned to nothingness by the flames.
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Then, Xu Hei summoned the ivory flying sword, which melted upon contact with the flames.
"Indeed, ordinary means are useless against her!"
Xu Hei's heart trembled, suddenly wondering if selling the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes was a loss.
At this moment, Zhou Wendie's face was pale, blood trickling from the corner of her eye, seemingly greatly exhausted.
Xu Hei observed briefly and found that she was surrounded by flames, leaving no gaps.
To deal with her, he would either need the Black Dragon Pagoda or the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.
But since she hadn't used any magical treasures, she must have a trump card of the same level!
"Something's wrong!"
Xu Hei looked at the omnipresent flames, suddenly feeling a chill.
The opponent's flames seemed to be attacking but weren't truly threatening; Xu Hei could easily avoid them each time they burned.
And whenever Xu Hei tried to counterattack, the opponent could always predict his position and prepare defenses in advance.
Xu Hei thought of a possibility.
"This woman isn't attacking; she's defending with all her might, stalling for time!"
The exchange just now seemed long but was only two or three breaths. Xu Hei had already analyzed the opponent's intentions.
Zhou Wendie never intended to kill Xu Hei!
To verify his guess, Xu Hei deliberately left an opening while dodging.
As a result, Zhou Wendie ignored the opening, not using the flames to attack, instead watching her surroundings, wary of possible ambushes.
"Indeed! She's stalling for time!"
Xu Hei's face darkened.
भारतीय इतिहास की उच्च श्रेणी की 7 रमणीय राजकुमारियाँ
Herbeauty
Zhou Wendie had exceptional talent but was also very self-aware, knowing she couldn't kill Xu Hei.
Even Bai Luo was tricked repeatedly, and even the second ancestor failed multiple times; what did she have to kill him?
From the start, Zhou Wendie acted fiercely, claiming she would kill him for revenge, but it was all an act!
She hadn't used all her trump cards, only using the known Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes for defense, so she had little consumption.
However, the blood at her eye corner and her pale face weren't fake; the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes were indeed used to their limit.
But she hadn't shown any other means, aiming to confuse her opponent.
However, Xu Hei saw through her intentions at a glance.
Xu Hei glanced at the sealed exit, calculating the probability of escape, and made a bold decision.
Xu Hei turned and charged deeper into the Blood Corpse Cave.
He chose to return!
Zhou Wendie's expression changed, immediately shouting, "You little beast, are you scared? Afraid to fight me?"
Xu Hei ignored her, focusing on one direction, moving at full speed, leaving Zhou Wendie behind.
His destination was clear.
—The cave dwelling where the corpse charm resided.
At this moment, from the start of the battle until now, it seemed long, but only three breaths had passed. Xu Hei had already left the battle, choosing to escape.
Zhou Wendie realized her plan was exposed, her expression changing drastically, gritting her teeth as she pursued.
Butterfly wings appeared behind her, moving at full speed like a phantom, reaching speeds comparable to the Core Formation stage, yet she still couldn't catch up to Xu Hei.
His figure grew more distant, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Buzz!"
At this moment, the space around Zhou Wendie distorted, and an old man, white-haired and withered, emerged from the space.
It was the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qing.
Zhou Qing, now emaciated, his flesh and blood withered, with most of his vitality gone, resembled a dying man.
"Where's that snake?"
He glanced around, seeing Zhou Wendie's pale face, chasing in one direction, and without further words, stepped forward like a shooting star, speeding towards where Xu Hei had disappeared.