In the dimly lit Blood Corpse Cave, a streak of golden light pierced the sky like a meteor in the night, illuminating the surroundings.
Xu Hei accelerated continuously, his body burning as dragon scales sparked against the air, with a large amount of True Qi jetting out from behind him.
"Almost there, just ahead!"
Xu Hei could clearly sense the looming danger from behind.
Without a doubt, that woman was stalling for time to wait for Zhou Qing. She couldn't take him down herself, so she waited for reinforcements, putting on a show all the while.
These cultivators never cared about honor or face, using any means necessary to kill their opponents.
"This woman is deeply scheming and will be a great threat in the future. She must not be left alive!"
Xu Hei's expression was grim as he swallowed a pill and accelerated once more.
Behind him, Zhou Qing pursued relentlessly, the distance between them closing rapidly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"What incredible speed! This snake truly holds many secrets and cannot be left alive!"
Although Zhou Qing's vitality was waning, his cultivation was still at the late Core Formation stage. Yet, chasing a Foundation Establishment great demon for so long was astonishing, and his fervor only grew stronger.
His intuition was right; this snake was a priceless treasure in itself!
"Whoosh!"
Xu Hei accelerated again, splitting into two as he charged into two beehive-like doors. Such rooms were common in the Blood Corpse Cave, all previously ransacked.
"Hmph, playing hide and seek, are we?"
Zhou Qing was not careless. With a raise of his hand, a blood-colored flying sword shot into the room, Sword Qi spreading everywhere, indiscriminately attacking everything in the cave dwelling, even scraping the walls down.
Xu Hei was also slashed into nothingness; it was an external incarnation.
Almost simultaneously as the incarnation was destroyed, Zhou Qing stood at the entrance of the second room.He punched into the dark entrance, and with a thunderous boom, the room collapsed, dust filling the air, the entire room destroyed by the violent punch.
For such cunning individuals, Zhou Qing usually employed full-range attacks, blasting everything to ensure the opponent's death before approaching.
He wouldn't even approach; he would only send an incarnation.
For a Foundation Establishment "ant" that had survived multiple attacks, he was even more cautious.
"No movement? Again!"
Zhou Qing pointed forward once more, the blood-colored flying sword rushing into the room, Sword Qi crisscrossing, attacking indiscriminately, shaving ten meters off the walls.
The Divine Sense isolation here was extremely severe, and even he could only vaguely sense a trace of movement inside the room.
The snake seemed to have hidden inside a Magical Treasure, enduring his attacks, while inside the room, there was a faint presence of a corpse puppet, seemingly at the mid-stage Core Formation.
This made Zhou Qing inwardly sneer.
"This snake is indeed cunning. If I had rushed in, I might have been ambushed by the corpse puppet and let it escape."
Zhou Qing felt assured.
If Xu Hei had died easily, leaving only a snake corpse in the room, he wouldn't dare enter.
Now, seeing the opponent hiding in a Magical Treasure with a corpse puppet inside, Zhou Qing felt much more at ease.
Knowing the opponent's plan, he had all the time to slowly wear them down.
He wouldn't enter until the Magical Treasure was reduced to ashes and the opponent was completely annihilated.
"Ugh!"
Blood trickled from Zhou Qing's mouth, aggravating his internal injuries, but the smile on his face grew brighter, as if he saw a chance to change his fate.
...
Inside the room.
Xu Hei hid within the Black Dragon Pagoda, being forcefully blasted into the depths of the wall by the relentless Sword Qi.
The opponent hadn't fallen for it, as Xu Hei had expected; it was a gamble from the start.
At this moment, he had two options.
First, use Body Swap to switch himself to the adjacent room, then escape with a Small Teleportation Talisman.
Beforehand, Xu Hei had hidden a puppet in the next room for emergencies.
Second, gamble again, taking a certain risk to lure the opponent in.
As long as Zhou Qing dared to enter the room, Xu Hei had a sixty percent chance of severely injuring him, and combined with Zhou Qing's injuries, a thirty percent chance of killing him on the spot!
At this moment, Xu Hei looked at the sealed formation that was also being bombarded.
Inside the formation, the corpse enchantress was also looking at him.
The madness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a hint of joy as she looked at the tower, her hoarse voice coming through: "Senior Brother... you've... returned..."
From the moment Xu Hei entered, she showed no signs of going berserk, completely different from last time.
It seemed that from the moment she saw that Token, she "awoke."
Of course, there was still a hint of struggle in the corpse enchantress's eyes, but it was not obvious.
"Yes, I'm back," Xu Hei transmitted his voice. "Your Senior Brother is being hunted. Can you deal with the opponent?"
The corpse enchantress's gaze shifted to the door, a look of hatred in her eyes.
She sprang up, crashing into the formation, only to be bounced back.
Yes, just like that... Xu Hei nodded secretly and continued to transmit his voice: "The opponent won't come in, and rushing out to kill him is too risky; he might escape."
"Senior Brother wants you to help put on a show, lure him in, and then kill him. Can you do that?"
Xu Hei tentatively asked.
This time, the corpse enchantress was stunned for a few seconds, seemingly struggling with the complex logic.
She retained only a shred of consciousness, lacking advanced intelligence, and merely nodded, "I'll listen to you."
"Good, here's what we'll do next... just follow my instructions!"
Xu Hei briefly explained the plan.
...
Outside the room, Zhou Qing had already launched over a hundred attacks, his injuries causing a pallor to his face.
However, he wasn't going all out, just playing a war of attrition, and he had plenty of patience.
This might be the greatest opportunity of his life, and he couldn't afford to lose it.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Zhou Qing's gaze sharpened.
The snake seemed unable to withstand it, emerging from the Magical Treasure, its body immediately slashed by the sharp Sword Qi, bursting into blood, barely clinging to life.
Meanwhile, the corpse puppet also broke free from the sealed formation, pouncing towards the snake demon, eyes full of greed, ready to devour it.
"No!"
Zhou Qing's expression changed drastically; this was his prey, how could it be devoured by a corpse puppet?
If it got tainted with corpse Qi, consuming it would be troublesome, not to mention the snake demon had numerous Spirit Medicines on it. One bite and it might evolve into another Red-haired Corpse King!
By then, the Red-haired Corpse King would surely hunt him down, having been attacked by him for so long!
"Damn it! I'll risk it!"
Without much thought, Zhou Qing made a decisive move, pulling out a handful of Talismans and sticking them on himself, while donning a straw hat, blood-colored armor covering his body, surrounded by eight blood swords, fully armed, he charged into the room.
He had initially thought of using an incarnation, but the incarnation couldn't compete with the corpse puppet, so he had to go in person.
The moment he entered the room.
"Now!"
Xu Hei's mind moved, and Mountain-Covering Mud descended from above, smashing onto Zhou Qing's head.
At the same time, the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book activated, a giant "Stop" character flying out, appearing on Zhou Qing's forehead.
Xu Hei ignored the corpse enchantress pretending to pounce; it was a huge risk, but Xu Hei chose to trust, he had to trust, this was the best chance to kill Zhou Qing, and he couldn't let it slip away.
....202..
His feet took root, embedding into the soil, his legs turned to wood, unable to move, even his Golden Core left his body, becoming a fruit hanging at his waist.
"No! How can this be? I want immortality, how can I become a tree?"
Zhou Qing couldn't believe it, trying to break free, but he couldn't.
Life force uncontrollably released, his legs, abdomen, torso, arms, all turned to wood in a few breaths, unable to move, his cultivation seemingly vanished, spells and magical treasures unusable, leaves sprouting from his head.
"Ah!!!"
Zhou Qing's remaining head screamed to the sky, hoarse and desperate, unable to stop his transformation into a tree.
Xu Hei stood not far away, eyes wide, silently watching the now-crazed Zhou Qing.
Zhou Qing's entire body turned into a tree-like form, his hysterical expression forever frozen.
In an instant, he became a tree.
"Crack, crack, crack..."
A series of cracking sounds echoed in the empty Blood Corpse Cave.
Under Xu Hei's watchful eyes, Zhou Qing slowly grew, becoming a ten-meter-tall humanoid tree, standing majestically, awe-inspiring, and imposing.
....203...
Inside the Blood Corpse Cave, silence reigned.
A large tree stood in the center, its branches full of leaves, and on its trunk hung a fruit resembling a Golden Core, shaped like a human with arms and legs, and a terrified human face on top.
In just a few breaths, Zhou Qing had turned into a tree-man.
"Clang, clang..."
Nine blood-colored flying swords fell to the ground.
If he were at his peak, he might have been able to expel the pill from his body. But now, with his life force nearly extinguished and a desperate desire for longevity, he didn't consider the risks and instead absorbed the medicinal power with all his might.
He had pursued immortality his entire life, taking great risks for the Longevity Pill, and now, he had finally achieved his wish!
He had become a tree and no longer needed to worry about his lifespan.
As long as no one cut him down, he could live as long as he wanted.
Zhou Qing's thoughts slowed down, as if moving at a snail's pace, and he tried to analyze something, but no matter what, he couldn't remember.
Eventually, Zhou Qing stopped thinking altogether.
...
Xu Hei hovered in front of Zhou Qing, his eyes wide, his mind buzzing, completely stunned.
This late Core Formation ancestor had turned into a tree right before his eyes!
Even witnessing it firsthand, Xu Hei still found it hard to believe.
But now wasn't the time to be in a daze. Xu Hei took out a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine, bit off a corner of a leaf, swallowed it in one gulp, and used the Demon God Cauldron to refine it.
The surging Spiritual Power quickly filled his body, allowing Xu Hei to recover at the fastest speed.
This was a star-shaped leaf with eight corners, each capable of providing a massive amount of Spiritual Power, making it one of the relatively common Spirit Medicines Xu Hei had collected.
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Of course, "common" was relative here, as every Spirit Medicine he gathered was extremely rare and priceless. Xu Hei wouldn't consume them unless it was a critical moment.
"Refine!"
A corner of the leaf entered the Demon God Cauldron, rapidly refining into pure Spiritual Qi, filling his body and restoring about thirty percent of his strength.
In the perilous Blood Corpse Cave, Xu Hei couldn't afford to let his True Qi run dry.
"Even if you've turned into a tree, I must eradicate you completely!"
Xu Hei summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, and with a thought, he directed it to crash into the tree.
"Boom!!"
The earth and sky resounded with a thunderous noise as the pagoda's tip struck the tree's trunk.
The tree that Zhou Qing had become shuddered violently, leaves rustling down, and the trunk was dented, with the Golden Core-like fruit knocked away.
Xu Hei's newly recovered True Qi was once again depleted.
He stared intently, his eyes widening.
"Unbelievable!"
Xu Hei found it hard to believe. At this moment, the tree's trunk had a dent and was slightly tilted, but overall, it wasn't significantly damaged.
At this rate, unless Xu Hei could continuously strike it a dozen times, he might not be able to break it completely.
With Xu Hei's current cultivation level, it was like a fool's dream.
"A late Core Formation cultivator is so difficult to deal with. Even standing still, I can't do anything to him," Xu Hei's face darkened as he had to admit the gap between them.
He put away the Black Dragon Pagoda, his eyes flashing as he sent a puppet forward to retrieve the Storage Bag from the dent.
It was Zhou Qing's Storage Bag.
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He also picked up the nine blood-colored flying swords from the ground, storing them in the Void Stone.
Each of these nine flying swords was extraordinary, at least top-tier third-grade Magical Treasures, and together they could form an extremely terrifying sword formation.
The Mountain-Covering Mud was instantly obliterated, not even leaving a trace, showcasing its power.
The blood-colored armor was still on him, but without Spiritual Power to activate it, it had lost its luster.
Xu Hei didn't let it go either, fiddling with it for a while before stripping it off. The armor shrank into a palm-sized bead, hovering in front of him.
"Whoosh!"
A sound of wind breaking came from afar.
A woman with butterfly wings on her back flew swiftly, hovering in the air, staring blankly at Xu Hei in the distance, and... the tree that Zhou Qing had become.
This woman was Zhou Wendie, who had rushed over.
From afar, she had sensed the battle fluctuations from this side. To avoid being caught up in it or being captured by Xu Hei as a hostage, she deliberately waited for a while. Only when the battle's aftermath completely dissipated did she come to investigate the situation.
When Zhou Wendie's gaze swept over the ten-meter-tall tree, her mind buzzed as if struck by lightning, leaving her dumbfounded.
Especially at this moment, Xu Hei was manipulating a puppet, fiddling with the tree trunk, removing a blood-colored armor.
This scene was like a thunderbolt, shocking Zhou Wendie to her core, as if she had seen a ghost.
Being a very intelligent person, the scene before her quickly played out in her mind, and she immediately pieced together most of the situation.
"That's the ancestor's Blood God Armor, and that face is the ancestor's face... This snake is still alive... Could it be..."
Zhou Wendie felt her scalp tingle with just a bit of imagination.
Had Xu Hei actually taken down the late Core Formation second ancestor?
Although it seemed impossible for someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage to accomplish this, the evidence was right in front of her!
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The second ancestor, Zhou Qing, was dead, and Xu Hei was still alive and well!
"How is this possible? How did this happen? How did he do it?"
Zhou Wendie trembled violently.
Seeing her appear, Xu Hei's gaze turned cold, and he took out a Metal Puppet.
Without a word, he casually inserted a Golden Core into the puppet's abdominal cavity.
This Golden Core belonged to Tie Xiong.
With the Golden Core inside, the ancient Metal Puppet activated, its eyes glowing with a ghostly light. Xu Hei grabbed the puppet with his tail, swung it around twice, and hurled it with all his might toward Zhou Wendie.
"Whoosh!"
The puppet tore through the sky, its eyes shooting out cold beams, its fists raised, and its feet spewing a hot air stream, charging straight at Zhou Wendie.
Zhou Wendie hesitated no longer, her wings fluttering as she fled at full speed. Being naturally cautious, she knew that facing such a strange demon, which had even taken down the second ancestor, would be suicidal.
Initially, she had considered testing to see how much strength her opponent had left.
But when the opponent casually sent a Core Formation stage puppet to attack, Zhou Wendie immediately abandoned the idea of testing. Who knew what other tricks the opponent had?
At this moment, with the Golden Core installed, the Metal Puppet had lost control, but it instinctively pursued the nearest target, which was the woman before it.
Flames spewed from its back, doubling its speed, just like when it had pursued Zhou Wenjun, now chasing after Zhou Wendie.
Xu Hei pretended to chase for a while, shouting from behind, "Little wench, why are you running? If you have the guts, fight me!"
These words only made Zhou Wendie run faster, as if she had activated some kind of Magical Artifact, turning into a purple meteor and disappearing without a trace.
Seeing this, Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief and retraced his steps.
He was already exhausted, and earlier he had just been putting on a show. The Metal Puppet was his last resort.
If Zhou Wendie had decided to fight him to the death, Xu Hei wouldn't have known what to do. Despite her being only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, such a Chosen had plenty of lethal moves.
Xu Hei could only strike first, creating the illusion that he was unafraid, scaring her away.
The opponent was also extremely cautious, unwilling to take any risks, which is why she fell into the trap.
However, Xu Hei did have one more trump card he hadn't used.
It was the Demon Mirror left behind by Hei Huang.
...204...
After devouring the tower spirit, the mirror seemed to regain its spirituality, but Xu Hei wasn't sure if it could be used a second time.
Hei Huang had warned him it could only be used once, and given the mirror's eerie nature, Xu Hei dared not take it out casually.
Only when faced with a life-and-death situation, against an enemy he couldn't defeat by any means, would Xu Hei consider using it.
Xu Hei glanced back at the previous cave dwelling.
At this moment, where the Minor Annihilation Talisman had been released, was a shattered void, like a broken mirror, pitch-black inside, slowly repairing itself.
"Minor Annihilation Talisman?"
Xu Hei recalled the person's words and fell into deep thought.
The function of this talisman seemed to be to destroy a space, annihilating all living beings within its range.
An indiscriminate attack, dealing true damage, no matter your cultivation, if caught in the shattered space, you'd be destroyed along with it.
Xu Hei couldn't help but shiver.
However, although the Minor Annihilation Talisman was powerful, it was slow to release. If the cultivation gap was too large, as soon as you took it out, the opponent would dodge immediately, making it impossible to hit.
It was only by relying on the corpse puppet's delay that the opponent was forced into a desperate situation.
"Xuan Yangzi even managed to get his hands on this thing. How much does he hate me? If he threw this in my face, ten of me wouldn't be enough to die!"
Xu Hei couldn't help but feel a bit of fear.
Although his dragon scales were tough, whether they could withstand the Minor Annihilation Talisman, which could shatter space, was still unknown.
He secretly decided that after leaving this place, the first thing he would do was to drag Xuan Yangzi out.
Xu Hei glanced at Zhou Qing, who seemed to be looking at him too, though his expression remained unchanged.
"I wanted to get rid of you, but I'm powerless. Rest in peace here, and when my cultivation advances greatly, I'll come to free you!"
In front of Zhou Qing, Xu Hei collected all his remaining belongings.
A Golden Core fruit, a storage bag, nine blood-colored flying swords, and a set of Blood God Armor.
Before dying, Zhou Qing seemed to want to throw these into the void to destroy them, but unfortunately, he changed his mind at the last moment, allowing Xu Hei to gain a great advantage.
Xu Hei glanced at the shattered space, his eyes flickering, and sent a puppet over.
There was still half a broken jade bottle on the ground, which was used to seal the corpse puppet. According to the corpse puppet, once freed, there would be pills left in the bottle as a thank-you gift.
Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, searching carefully. There were many jade bottle fragments on the ground, but he couldn't find the pills.
"Could they have been destroyed by the Minor Annihilation Talisman?"
Xu Hei considered this possibility and couldn't help but feel regret.
After looking around for a while and finding nothing, he shook his head, planning to leave.
Suddenly, Xu Hei paused, rushed out, and at the edge of the shattered space, pulled in a ring-shaped black jade stone, grabbing it in his hand.
"Void Stone!"
Looking at the ring-shaped stone in his hand, Xu Hei's eyes were filled with intense excitement.
A Void Stone, indistinguishable from ordinary stone in appearance, could easily be overlooked if not carefully examined.
This piece of Void Stone, shaped into a ring, should be an ancient storage ring.
Xu Hei quickly took it, not opening the seal, and directly stored it away.
"It's getting late, time to retreat!"
Xu Hei packed up his belongings, took a Rejuvenation Pill, activated Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, and dashed towards the exit.
Shortly after Xu Hei set off.
"Boom…"
The entire Blood Corpse Cave began to shake violently.
All the tremors originated from underground, and with a casual glance, Xu Hei saw corpse puppets reaching out from below, crawling up.
Green-haired, purple-haired, yellow-haired, all sorts of corpse puppets emerged from the soil, all previously sealed by the Chu Tian Alliance.
"Xu Qingfeng has broken the seal, planning to turn against us!" Xu Hei's heart tightened.
Fortunately, he wasn't far from the exit, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he could reach it. As long as the corpse puppets at the entrance weren't at the Core Formation Stage, Ji Ying could handle them.
"Ji Ying!"
With a low shout, Ji Ying swiftly emerged from the gaps in the dragon scales, circling around Xu Hei.
Xu Hei swung his tail, accelerating to full speed, while a large bell appeared on his head, the Bell of Chaos, essential for restraining corpse puppets.
"Dong!"
Xu Hei struck it hard, sending bell waves rippling out, instantly disorienting two nearby corpse puppets.
Ji Ying seized the opportunity, snatching away the heads of the two corpse puppets.
With the Bell of Chaos and Ji Ying's cooperation, Xu Hei was confident that even if he encountered a purple-haired yaksha at the early Core Formation stage, he could take it on.
However, his True Qi was nearly depleted, so he decided not to take such a risk.
"What's going on? Why are all the corpse puppets coming out?"
"This place is no longer safe, run!"
Along the way, many rogue cultivators emerged from various directions, rushing towards the exit in a hurry.
Xu Hei stuck an Invisibility Talisman on himself to avoid attracting attention. Except for the corpse puppets sensing his presence, passersby ignored him.
The rest of the journey was smooth.
Along the way, Xu Hei only encountered five corpse puppets, all below the Core Formation Stage, easily dealt with by Ji Ying, allowing Xu Hei to smoothly reach the entrance of the Blood Corpse Cave.
The Chu Tian Alliance was nowhere to be seen, and the ambushing troops were gone too. The ground was littered with bodies, all from the Zhou Family and the Snake Catchers Sect, indicating the battle had ended.
Xu Hei sensed the residual fluctuations and footprints on the ground, looking in one direction.
"Wuyou City."
Xu Hei's eyes flickered, but he didn't move immediately. Instead, he flew thousands of miles in another direction, found a hidden cave, and slipped inside.
He needed to heal as quickly as possible.
"The core of this ancient relic should be Wuyou City," Xu Hei thought to himself.
According to his speculation, this entire ancient relic wasn't just buried underground but was located within a secret realm.
A secret realm is not infinitely expansive!
For instance, at the deepest part of the Blood Corpse Cave, beyond the ancient medicine garden, he saw an endless void, which was the edge of the secret realm, not to be ventured further.
If he used the Small Teleportation Talisman there, he would be transported into the endless void, never to return!
This was why Xu Hei felt a sense of dread.
Xu Hei mentally mapped out the secret realm.
Wuyou City was right at the core of the secret realm.
...
Inside the Blood Corpse Cave, everyone was frantically fleeing to the outside, using all sorts of methods to escape the pursuit.
After Xu Qingfeng broke the seal, not only did the sealed corpse puppets appear, but more hidden ones seemed to be summoned, triggering a chain reaction, continuously emerging and attacking the crowd.
Bai Luo, Lei He, various sects and factions, rogue cultivators, both righteous and evil paths, all panicked, ignoring the treasures here, with only one thought: escape!
At this moment, they rarely united, retreating while fighting, jointly resisting the corpse puppets.
"That damn Xu Qingfeng, I wonder if he's dead!"
Bai Luo gritted his teeth in hatred.
"With such severe injuries, if he's not dead, he's crippled! He still has the God of Death's mark on him. Once I call on the Zhou Family's ancestor, we'll go straight to him and wipe him out. This ancient relic will be his burial ground!"
Lei He's eyes were cold, filled with killing intent.
"While we're at it, let's wipe out the Chu Tian Alliance too. You promised me a Longevity Pill, don't go back on your word!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect said with a sinister smile.
He had just received a promise that if he assisted, he would get a Longevity Pill, which excited him greatly, as his lifespan was nearing its end.
"Speaking of which, Zhou Qing should have dealt with that snake by now, so why hasn't he shown up?"
Lei He frowned.
Bai Luo's heart skipped a beat. He was particularly concerned about that snake, which almost gave him a psychological shadow. If it were dead, it would be for the best, and he wouldn't have to recall those humiliating events.
Logically, with Zhou Qing's late Core Formation stage cultivation, he should have dealt with not just one snake, but a hundred by now.
Unknowingly, they reached the outskirts of the Blood Corpse Cave.
In the middle of the path ahead, a tree three meters high grew, standing out conspicuously.
....205...
"Could something have happened to the Zhou Family's ancestor?" Bai Luo asked, puzzled.
"Impossible. He's in the late Core Formation stage. How could anything unexpected happen to him?"
Lei He didn't doubt Zhou Qing's abilities. At over five hundred years old, Zhou Qing possessed numerous magical treasures. Even if Lei He were to fight him, he'd have to endure some hardship.
Even if Zhou Qing was injured by an aura of life and death at the Elemental Infant level, severely damaging his vitality, not just anyone could take advantage of him.
However, Lei He did suspect that Zhou Qing, with his deep scheming, might have obtained some extraordinary benefit and simply fled.
That snake was quite peculiar, possibly harboring some secret that Zhou Qing discovered and didn't want to share. It was entirely possible.
The more Lei He thought about it, the more his expression darkened.
He had fought Xu Qingfeng fiercely, while Zhou Qing conveniently used the pretext of chasing the Snake Demon to escape, taking the benefits and disappearing. It was simply outrageous!
"Hmph! Last time in the Earth Path, I offended the Zhou Family. Is this some kind of protest?" Lei He muttered to himself.
"Look, what's that?"
Bai Luo suddenly pointed into the distance and shouted, "A tree? How could there be a tree inside the Blood Corpse Cave?"
Without needing Bai Luo to say more, everyone turned to look as soon as the tree appeared.
The tree stood ten meters tall, solitary in the middle of the Blood Corpse Cave, with lush branches and roots sprawling everywhere. In this deathly silent zombie cave, it was impossible not to draw attention.
Even more bizarre was that the tree was shaped like a human, with two arms and two legs, distinctly outlined, as if its back was turned to them.
Everyone immediately moved forward, arriving in front of the tree. As they focused their gaze, they were instantly dumbfounded.
"That face is..."
Everyone was stunned.
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That familiar face, with an expression of terror, who else could it be but the Zhou Family's ancestor?
Lei He's eyes were vacant, staring at that hysterical face, and he couldn't help but shiver.
What had Zhou Qing encountered to end up like this?
Or was this just a rare spirit wood, deliberately carved to look like him?
The Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, however, had a glint in his eyes. He rushed forward, grabbed the tree, and pulled with all his might.
"Rise for me!"
With a loud shout from the Thirteenth Ancestor, Zhou Qing's roots were so deeply embedded that only a small portion was uprooted, with countless roots snapping.
Faintly, he heard a piercing scream, like a soul's roar, emanating from within the tree, making the pained face twist even more.
"What strong resilience! This divine sense fluctuation is indeed from the Zhou Family's ancestor, it's him!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor hastily retreated a few steps, speaking in a deep voice.
The entire scene fell into a dead silence.
What had he experienced in life to become a tree! Moreover, Zhou Qing seemed not to be completely dead, with a faint trace of divine sense still lingering. This was beyond comprehension.
Zhou Qing had pursued immortality his entire life, and this was his immortality?
"Was it... that snake's doing?"
Bai Qiushui felt his mouth dry up. He had long thought that snake was not to be trifled with, but he hadn't expected it to be this extreme.
Bai Luo's face turned pale, and he felt a wave of fear. If he had encountered it inside the pyramid, who knows what might have happened.
There was no time for everyone to think deeply, as a red-haired whirlwind arose in the distance. The Corpse King, leading a large group of corpse puppets, charged in angrily, forcing everyone to flee, their hearts shaken to the core by the scene they had just witnessed.
...
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Outside the Blood Corpse Cave, in a distant underground cave dwelling.
Xu Hei opened his eyes and exhaled a stream of air. After a long period of breathing exercises, he had mostly recovered.
However, the injury from the flying sword was healing extremely slowly. He had deliberately allowed himself to be hit by the blood sword to lure Zhou Qing in.
It was only because he had dragon scales and Zhou Qing had held back a bit that he hadn't lost his life.
"Let's see what I've gained from this trip."
Xu Hei took out a storage ring and removed the seal, revealing its contents.
It was a massive space, a hundred meters in length, width, and height, totaling a million cubic meters. Xu Hei couldn't help but gasp at the sight.
It was the first time he had seen such a large Void Stone.
Inside, it was piled high with spirit medicines and pill bottles, but as Xu Hei swept his divine sense over them, the spirit medicines turned to dust.
Just like the last time, when he had cut open a Void Stone in the gambling stone workshop, the spirit medicines inside crumbled at a touch, having been stored for too long to be preserved.
However, the jade bottles containing pills were still intact, each sealed, likely retaining some medicinal potency.
In a corner, there were about thirty top-grade Spirit Stones piled together, which made Xu Hei's eyes light up.
In addition, there was one item that caught Xu Hei's attention.
It was a massive stone slab, inscribed with a large amount of text.
The contents of a divine sense jade slip cannot be preserved for long unless by a great divine ability user.
But inscribing on a stone tablet is the simplest and most enduring method of storage. Even after tens of thousands of years, or even a million years, as long as it's not exposed to the elements, the carved text can still be seen.
Xu Hei focused on the stone slab, examining it closely. The handwriting was elegant, clearly written by a woman.
"I don't know how many years it will be before this stone tablet is discovered, perhaps tens of thousands, perhaps a hundred thousand, perhaps a million, or perhaps never."
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क्या यह हर्बल फ़ॉर्मूला आपकी शुगर यात्रा बदल सकता है?
This was the first sentence on the stone slab.
"I, Gongshu Ruyi, a direct disciple of the third generation sect master of the Divine Puppet Sect, a member of the Pill Hall of Wuyou City."
"I inscribe this text to reveal the truth of this history, so that future generations may remember."
...
Xu Hei scanned the stone slab, reading it word by word from top to bottom.
In ancient times, heroes rose, and the Hundred Schools of Thought contended.
Confucianism, Daoism, the Buddhist sect, and the Demon Cult each occupied their own territories, with talented individuals emerging in great numbers, making it a golden era.
Gongshu Zi, renowned for his art of mechanisms and puppets, founded the Divine Puppet Sect as the first Grandmaster. After breaking through to Divine Transformation, he wandered beyond the world and disappeared.
Afterward, the second-generation sect master, Mo Ban, inherited the sect, continuing to promote the art of puppets and mechanisms, determined to change life through technology and create a perfect world.
The third-generation sect master, Mo Wuyou, was even more so. He fulfilled Mo Ban's wish and created the most perfect city in the world—
Wuyou City!
Wuyou City, as the name suggests, is a place of long-lasting happiness without worries.
The old have support, the young are cared for, no one picks up lost items on the road, and doors are not locked at night. Regardless of race, gender, or status, there is no sorrow or conflict, making it a paradise everyone yearns for.
To fulfill the wish of Wuyou, he continuously improved Wuyou City, using the art of mechanisms to elevate the living standards of its inhabitants far beyond any place of the time.
This was Mo Wuyou's Dao, to protect this city without worries and break through to Divine Transformation!
Regarding this, Xu Hei also had some understanding.
It is said that at the Elemental Infant stage, it's not just about cultivation but also about cultivating one's aura and Dao heart.
Using Wuyou City as his Dao heart to prove the Dao of Wuyou, this was what the third-generation ancestor Mo Wuyou did.
During this period, Mo Wuyou's identity was merely that of a mortal City Lord, without performing any immortal deeds. Yet, through some artisan techniques, he turned Wuyou City into a paradise.
For ten consecutive years, there was not a single crime recorded.
He fulfilled the lifelong pursuit of the second-generation ancestor, just half a step away from Divine Transformation!
However, human desire is limitless.
Every dynasty has the iron rule of peace lasting no more than a hundred years, let alone a single city.
....206..
As time passed, a series of conflicts began to emerge within Wuyou City.
Initially, they could be suppressed through law, but as desires continued to swell, order spiraled out of control.
Once basic needs are met, people crave more; with peace comes the demand for fairness; with fairness, the desire to exploit arises.
Ten years of peace is easy, twenty years is hard, and a hundred years is but a fool's dream.
At this moment, life in Wuyou City was like this: everyone had a wooden carriage, jade slips for real-time communication, and meals delivered to their doorsteps.
While other places couldn't even satisfy basic peace and sustenance.
In Wuyou City, where everyone lived like immortals, an unprecedented internal strife broke out.
Cultivators led the charge, mortals rushed forward, the Discipline Hall was razed to the ground, the Pill Hall was expelled from Wuyou City, with tens of thousands dead or injured. Helplessly, the Pill Hall had to establish a new cave dwelling outside the city.
This is now known as the Blood Corpse Cave.
"Why did it come to this?"
Xu Hei couldn't understand.
To Xu Hei, peace was already a luxury, and having enough to eat and wear was a dream.
Yet the people of Wuyou City, not only satisfied with these, even far exceeded them, were still not content!
Of course, Xu Hei didn't fully believe the contents of the stone tablet, as it was left by Gongshu Ruyi, surely carrying her subjective imagination, painting herself as a victim.
Later, Mo Wuyou took a series of measures, but they only treated the symptoms, not the root cause.
Eventually, everyone gave up, stopped competing, and just lay around, since they had no worries about food and clothing, they were even too lazy to work.
The whole city was in a state of eating and waiting to die.
"Now, it's almost impossible for Master to reach Divine Transformation. Wuyou City has proven to be a failed creation; true worry-free living is impossible."
"Master's Dao heart was frustrated, his cultivation plummeted, but later, Master he..."
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At this point, Xu Hei's pupils suddenly contracted, and he continued reading.
"Master did something unknown and suddenly reached the Divine Transformation Stage."
"The entire Divine Puppet Sect was mobilized to hunt down Master. The second, fourth, and fifth generation sect leaders joined forces to slay Master outside Wuyou City."
Here, the text abruptly ended.
Xu Hei furrowed his brows, deep in thought. He felt that a part of the content was missing, especially the last part, which was almost summarized in two sentences.
He read it again from start to finish.
The beginning seemed reasonable, the middle was mostly omitted, and the end was glossed over.
There was no explanation for becoming a corpse puppet!
Xu Hei squinted his eyes, seriously suspecting that the stone tablet had been tampered with, causing the content to be distorted.
It likely involved some secrets that couldn't be known, so they were blocked by a great divine ability.
Thinking of this, Xu Hei shook his head.
Why did everyone become corpse puppets?
Why was Mo Wuyou, as the third generation sect leader, hunted by the sect?
Since Wuyou City was proven a failure, how did he achieve Divine Transformation?
With so many mysteries, Xu Hei could only go to Wuyou City to find answers.
"A Divine Transformation cultivator... I never thought I could come into contact with such secrets. It would be a pity to miss such an opportunity!"
Xu Hei originally had no interest in history, but when it involved breaking through to Divine Transformation, he became curious.
If someone as strong as Mo Wuyou found it so difficult to reach Divine Transformation, ending up hunted by the sect, would Xu Hei face even greater challenges in the future?
Xu Hei took a deep breath, stored the stone tablet, and took out an ancient Essence Cultivation Pill.
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He unsealed the pill, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out. Without delay, Xu Hei opened his mouth and inhaled, consuming the rapidly withering Essence Cultivation Pill.
An hour later.
Xu Hei had fully recovered to his peak state, with his cultivation increased by about twenty percent.
Next, Xu Hei attempted to open Zhou Qing's storage bag.
As expected, it was completely unopenable, the seal on it was unimaginably strong! Even using dragon scales had no effect.
"That old bastard must have deliberately strengthened the seal before he died!"
Xu Hei's face turned grim.
To be cautious, he decided to seek help from the Chu Tian Alliance.
Xu Hei didn't fully trust anyone, but based on Xu Qingfeng's previous behavior, he seemed relatively trustworthy.
Besides, Zhou Qing had already revealed his trump cards, so there shouldn't be any unspeakable treasures in the storage bag.
Afterward, Xu Hei tried to refine the nine blood swords, but still failed.
At this point, Xu Hei had little hope left. He took out the Blood God Armor, now in the form of a blood bead, and probed it with his divine sense.
Suddenly, the blood bead floated up automatically, adhering closely to Xu Hei's body.
"Whoosh!"
Xu Hei instinctively retreated, keeping a distance, staring at the blood bead.
"I can actually use it? Is this for real?"
Xu Hei shook his head, his eyes serious, his heart vigilant.
Zhou Qing's magical treasure, at least third-tier top-grade, could it really be used so easily?
Xu Hei didn't believe it, suspecting a trap.
जानिए पाकिस्तान की बेगम पारा कैसे बनी भारत की लोकप्रिय अभिनेत्री
Brainberries
He pondered for a moment, took out the butcher, approached the blood bead, and attached it, probing with his divine sense.
"Clang!"
The blood bead adhered to the butcher, immediately spreading out, transforming into a blood-red armor, forming on the butcher's body surface.
During this process, blood from the butcher's body was continuously absorbed into it, albeit at a slow pace.
Xu Hei stared at the armor for a long time, seemingly understanding, and nodded.
"So that's how it is!"
This magical treasure wasn't a simple one; it was a sentient item that required the owner's blood and energy to activate automatically.
The stronger the owner's blood and energy, the higher the armor's strength.
Xu Hei tried attacking the armor, finding it impervious to his attacks, its strength at least reaching the Core Formation level, slightly higher than the butcher's own cultivation.
However, the butcher's vitality was also being continuously drained.
Xu Hei shuddered, shaking the armor off his body, where it reformed into a blood bead in mid-air, landing in his palm.
"Blood God Armor, no True Qi needed, only consumes blood and energy, perfect for those with abundant vitality," Xu Hei mused.
If he, in his true form, wore this armor, his defense would surely be astonishing.
After checking it again to confirm, Xu Hei stored the blood bead.
Then, he took out a handful of high-grade spirit stones from the storage ring, swallowing them, allowing the true dragon on the Demon God Cauldron to absorb them.
One, two, three... eight.
"Buzz!"
An idea surged into Xu Hei's mind.
That familiar and profound voice echoed once more, the voice of the true dragon.
"Dragon Shatter Roar, a mid-grade dragon clan supreme technique, a sonic spell..."
"The dragon clan must not only conquer with virtue but also with reason! When reasoning, use Dragon Shatter Roar to ensure the other party listens obediently."
"This technique consists of seven levels, each a realm of its own, divided into shattering stone, shattering soul, shattering star, shattering void, shattering the firmament, shattering sun and moon, shattering the great Dao."
"..."
Countless pieces of information, like a roaring sea, flooded into Xu Hei's mind.
Compared to the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, the information of Dragon Shatter Roar was even more vast, though it had only seven levels, it was ten times more complex.
....207....
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Hei opened his eyes, carefully recalling the content that had just flashed through his mind.
Dragon Shatter Roar, a mid-tier dragon clan ultimate technique.
Unlike traditional spells, it is a perfect fusion of True Qi and the physical body, not necessarily suitable for human cultivators, but extremely fitting for demonic beasts with powerful physical bodies.
When used in conjunction with the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, it can unleash destructive power far beyond the current cultivation level.
"Let's give it a try."
Xu Hei took a deep breath, rapidly compressing the True Qi within his body, concentrating it towards his tailbone.
Using the bone to produce sound, this is the minimum requirement for the Dragon Shatter Roar.
After a long while, Xu Hei felt the True Qi had compressed to its limit, and his bones began to tremble. He immediately took out a piece of reactor debris, placing it in front as a target.
Xu Hei opened his mouth wide towards the debris, and the compressed True Qi within him roared out.
"Dragon Shatter Roar!"
A deafening explosion reverberated, sound waves swept through, and the soil in front was instantly blown away. The piece of reactor debris immediately cracked and within a breath, shattered into pieces.
"So powerful!"
Xu Hei was internally shocked.
Although the reactor was scrapped, its material was still above third-tier, yet it was shattered by the Dragon Shatter Roar.
This was his most powerful attack without relying on a magical treasure!
"Crack... crack..."
Suddenly, Xu Hei's bones emitted a faint cracking sound, showing signs of fractures. He quickly stopped the spell, letting the True Qi disperse, and his breath calmed down.
At this moment, Xu Hei felt his whole body ache, utterly exhausted.
In just that instant, he had consumed half of his True Qi.
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His entire skeleton was in piercing pain, with wear and tear everywhere except for the intact dragon bone at his tail.
"The cost of this move is too great. It should be a spell aimed at the Core Formation Stage, requiring a full set of dragon bones, which I currently cannot handle," Xu Hei thought to himself.
A low-tier dragon clan ultimate technique requires Foundation Establishment.
A mid-tier dragon clan ultimate technique requires Core Formation.
The true dragon statue probably didn't expect Xu Hei to collect a hundred high-grade spirit stones before reaching Core Formation.
"Dragon Shatter Roar is truly not something ordinary people can withstand; it can only be used as a trump card."
Xu Hei took out a pill and consumed it for healing.
This journey cost him quite a few trump cards, but he also gained a lot.
...
South of the Blood Corpse Cave, Wuyou City.
After recovering, Xu Hei headed straight for Wuyou City. After a long journey, he saw the massive city in the distance, coiled like a giant black dragon.
The sky was dark, covered with clouds, and the underground world never saw the sun. The air was cold and damp, with corpse puppets scattered in every corner.
Xu Hei found it hard to imagine that in ancient times, this place was prosperous, known as the most peaceful place in the world.
Most of Wuyou City was shrouded in dark clouds, with only a few visible areas.
At this moment, a crowd was gathered at the distant city gate.
Some passing rogue cultivators were also heading there.
Xu Hei pondered for a moment, took out a random passerby, removed the face, put on a helmet, and then separated an external incarnation to control the puppet, walking forward.
The main body can only control the puppet within a thousand feet.
But if the incarnation controls it, it can be far away; as long as the incarnation doesn't die, even thousands of miles apart is fine.
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When Xuan Yangzi ambushed him, he sent an incarnation.
Of course, the external incarnation Xu Hei created was done casually, with only thirty percent of the main body's combat power, minimizing the cost.
As the incarnation approached, Xu Hei discovered that the Zhou Family was recruiting soldiers on the city gate.
"Everyone, join our Myriad Treasure Pavilion, and you can receive a large amount of spirit stones every day. If you perform well, you can also receive ancient spirit medicine rewards."
"Once out of the relic, you can leave freely, with no constraints. Our cooperation is limited to within the relic."
Zhou Qingxuan stood on the city gate, continuously giving speeches.
The rogue cultivators looked at each other, some joining, some hesitating, and some discussing behind the scenes.
Xu Hei sneered internally. The Zhou Family had suffered heavy losses, first being bombed by his Thunder Tribulation Pearl, then being killed by corpse puppets in the Blood Corpse Cave, and finally intercepting the Chu Tian Alliance, losing another large group.
Even their strongest force, the two ancestors, were gone.
If they didn't recruit more, they probably couldn't continue.
The Myriad Treasure Pavilion, the wealthiest force in the Qin Kingdom. In fact, many of their previous teams were also hired mercenaries.
However, those who have survived in the relic for so long are not fools. They won't easily become cannon fodder and can somewhat see the Myriad Treasure Pavilion's predicament, so the price they demand is naturally exorbitant.
"Fifty thousand spirit stones, plus a thousand-year-old spirit medicine, and our five members of the Blood Robe Sect are at your service."
The five members of the Blood Robe Sect stepped forward.
In the past, hiring five Foundation Establishment cultivators only required ten thousand spirit stones, but now the price had quintupled.
Zhou Qingxuan glanced over, using his divine sense to assess the five, frowning slightly.
What he needed wasn't this kind of Foundation Establishment cannon fodder, but Core Formation!
For the upcoming actions, without Core Formation cultivation, nothing could be accomplished.
However, to cover his intentions, Zhou Qingxuan still nodded, "Blood Robe Sect, accepted! But only half the deposit can be given, and the spirit medicine will be paid in a week. You should trust the reputation of our Myriad Treasure Pavilion."
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"No problem!"
After some discussion, the Blood Robe Sect joined.
The Myriad Treasure Pavilion's reputation was trustworthy; as long as they didn't die, the spirit medicine would surely be delivered.
Zhou Qingxuan looked over the rogue cultivators who had joined, feeling quite heavy-hearted. They had been recruiting for two days and only one Core Formation had joined.
As pioneers, they had the latest information regarding the greatest inheritance in the ancient relic. Without Core Formation, they couldn't even qualify to participate.
They wanted to request support from headquarters, but time was tight, and it would take several days for a round trip, with potential mishaps along the way, leaving them no choice but to take this approach.
"Are there any more Core Formation cultivators willing to join? Our reward for Core Formation is higher than usual, with a thousand-year-old spirit medicine paid unconditionally."
Zhou Qingxuan decided to go all out and said.
"I don't want spirit medicine; I want two hundred thousand spirit stones, paid upfront!"
At this moment, a purple-haired youth walked over, weapons strapped all over, with a lazy expression.
As he moved, his body exuded the aura of Core Formation, drawing everyone's attention.
"Bounty hunter Han Te?"
Zhou Qingxuan's eyebrow twitched, a look of disdain flashing in his eyes.
"What, don't trust me? I, Han, may not have much else, but I have professional integrity. I do the job once paid, no ambiguity!" Han Te smiled brightly.
The remaining members of the Zhou Family looked at each other.
Han Te had long been notorious. Although he was Core Formation, he was known as the weakest Core Formation in history, even fleeing from False Core stage corpse puppets. Who would dare hire him?
Xu Hei's incarnation and puppet were not far away, quietly observing, with a hint of speculation in his heart.
"The Myriad Treasure Pavilion, no matter how wealthy, can't be spending like this! Hiring five Foundation Establishment for fifty thousand spirit stones? Spending two hundred thousand for an early Core Formation? The markup is through the roof."
"Yet despite the high markup, many people are still hesitant."
Xu Hei's eyes flickered, suspecting that the other party might have some secret and urgently needed manpower.
The size of Wuyou City, compared to the outside world, isn't large, but in this restricted underground city, there are still many unexplored areas, an unknown territory.
Discovering opportunities in these unknown areas wouldn't be surprising.
Sure enough, after much hesitation, the Zhou Family still took out the spirit stones and recruited Han Te.
"Hahaha, happy cooperation, big client!"
Han Te cheerfully stored away the spirit stones, his eyes gleaming. He had never done such a big deal in his life.
....209...
Seeing that even someone like Han Te received two hundred thousand Spirit Stones, the eyes of the rogue cultivators in the distance lit up with greed.
"I am at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. How about a hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"
A rogue cultivator mustered the courage to speak, but Zhou Qingxuan ignored him completely.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will depart in one hour. If anyone else wishes to join, do so quickly, or you'll miss the opportunity," Zhou Qingxuan announced.
Everyone exchanged glances and began to discuss among themselves.
The people present were quick-witted, speculating whether the Zhou Family had stumbled upon some great fortune and needed people to act as cannon fodder.
Some said that the Myriad Treasure Pavilion wouldn't be so shameless, as they were businessmen, and a tarnished reputation would ruin them.
Others guessed they were planning to attack the Chu Tian Alliance and needed manpower.
Xu Hei thought for a moment and sat cross-legged nearby, wanting to see what tricks the Zhou Family was up to.
Suddenly, Xu Hei saw two familiar figures approaching Zhou Qingxuan.
One was a white-bearded elder, holding a horsetail whisk and dressed in a Taoist robe adorned with the Eight Trigrams, exuding an aura of immortality.
It was Tianji Shangren!
Beside him was a masked man, following closely like a shadow, with sharp eyes. It was clearly Liu Buqun.
"Why are these two together again? Are they glued to each other?" Xu Hei internally complained.
As if sensing Xu Hei's gaze, the white-bearded elder turned his head, smiled slightly, and nodded in acknowledgment.
Xu Hei quickly averted his eyes.
Tianji Shangren walked up to Zhou Qingxuan and said with a smile, "I, a humble Taoist, have observed that the Zhou Family has a lady of great fortune, so I have come to offer my assistance."
"Great! How many Spirit Stones do you require, fellow Daoist?" Zhou Qingxuan immediately perked up, not daring to neglect him, and asked quickly.
"I do not require Spirit Stones," Tianji Shangren unexpectedly shook his head, then transmitted a message, the contents of which were unknown.
After some contemplation, Zhou Qingxuan nodded in agreement.
"What is this old fox planning? Should I join as well?" Xu Hei hesitated, considering that with a clone and a puppet, he wasn't afraid of being discovered.
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...
At the same time, Xu Hei's true self was flying towards the interior of Wuyou City.
Wuyou City, with its clusters of ancient buildings, mostly in a state of collapse, had its bricks and stones turned pitch black from years of accumulated yin energy, exuding an eerie aura.
From beneath the surface, creaking sounds could be heard, made by corpse puppets.
Looking around, one could vaguely see the shadows of its former grandeur.
Xu Hei took out a communication jade slip left by Xiao Chou.
"Head eighty miles east, Chu Tian Alliance..."
Xu Hei read the message in the jade slip and flew eastward.
Moments later, he arrived in front of a relatively well-preserved pavilion courtyard.
Xu Hei pondered briefly, then sent a puppet ahead to enter the courtyard.
In an instant, his vision cleared, and the light brightened, revealing a hidden world within the courtyard.
Xu Hei focused his gaze, finding the seemingly small courtyard surprisingly vast inside.
Members of the Chu Tian Alliance were present, but after a glance at Xu Hei, they ignored him and continued with their own tasks.
The Silver-haired Witch was staring blankly at a wall.
Ku Xuan was chanting scriptures to the Vulture.
Zhang Tie was sharpening his hammer.
Additionally, five rogue cultivators were meditating cross-legged, also ignoring Xu Hei.
"You've arrived," Xu Qingfeng approached.
"I have," Xu Hei replied, unsure of what else to say.
"Have you made up your mind?" Xu Qingfeng asked.
Xu Hei nodded and said, "I am willing to cooperate with you."
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This was a decision Xu Hei had reached after careful consideration.
Since Xu Hei began cultivating, he had always fought alone, never joining any faction or power. At most, he would ask Man Jin or Lei Meng for help.
This expedition to the relic made him deeply aware that individual strength is limited, and the omnipresent calamities and ever-looming enemies often put Xu Hei in danger.
He had left the Blood Corpse Cave thanks to the Chu Tian Alliance's Minor Teleportation Formation.
At the exit, it was also the Chu Tian Alliance that blocked the ambush.
This narrow escape led Xu Hei to decide that if he could rely on external forces, why not give it a try?
He might have survived by luck once, but there might not be a next time.
Enemies like the Zhou Family's ancestor were not few. Whether it was the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect or Lei He, they would not hesitate to kill him on sight.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the Chu Tian Alliance had helped him once, proving their sincerity.
"May our cooperation be successful," Xu Qingfeng smiled.
"Successful cooperation!" Xu Hei nodded.
At the same time, Xu Hei's clone had also mingled with the Zhou Family's rogue cultivator team, earning five thousand Spirit Stones as a reward.
"Fellow Daoist, long time no see. I've missed you," Tianji Shangren beamed.
Xu Hei ignored him, took two steps back, and tightened his helmet.
"Fellow Daoist, no need to be nervous. I mean no harm. Though I cannot discern your identity, I can see that you are blessed with great fortune. I, a humble Taoist, love to make friends with those favored by fate," Tianji Shangren said with a smile.
"Is he a child of fortune?" Xu Hei pointed at Liu Buqun.
Tianji Shangren fell silent, and Liu Buqun's expression turned awkward.
...
At this moment, within the Chu Tian Alliance's stronghold.
In a separate room, both Xu Hei's true self and puppet had arrived.
He took out a Storage Bag and asked, "Can you open this?"
It was Zhou Qing's Storage Bag.
Xu Hei could have waited until his cultivation improved to open it himself, but time was of the essence, and his trump cards were far from sufficient. He needed to enhance his strength as quickly as possible.
"The Zhou Family's ancestor's Storage Bag?"
Xu Qingfeng took the Storage Bag, examined it carefully, then suddenly tossed it away and pointed at it.
"Bang!"
With a crisp sound, a golden flame burst out, twisting the Void with its heat.
"This..." Xu Hei was stunned.
"The Zhou Family's ancestor had ill intentions. If you had carelessly unsealed it without any precautions, this soul fire would have burned you to ashes," Xu Qingfeng said solemnly.
Xu Hei's face darkened; it was his first time encountering such a trick.
However, he had anticipated something like this, which was why he hadn't fallen for it.
At this moment, Xu Qingfeng stared at the flame for a while, then suddenly said, "Take out your Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book."
Xu Hei immediately complied.
Xu Qingfeng took the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, pointed at the Void, and the flame rapidly contracted, transforming into a gust of red wind that was absorbed into the book, forming the character burn on it.
"This 'burn' character can release the soul fire from earlier, dealing significant damage to Divine Sense, but it can only be used once," Xu Qingfeng handed the book back.
"Thank you."
Xu Hei accepted the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.
Now, he had another lethal move.
At this moment, the Storage Bag had been charred black and shattered, scattering its contents on the ground.
These were the Magical Treasures Zhou Qing hadn't had time to destroy.
Before his "death," he could only resort to such petty tricks.
Although most of the treasures were destroyed in the fire, many remained intact, a dazzling array of various types, all unused by Zhou Qing.
Xu Hei glanced at them and gasped.
Only now did he realize how well-prepared the Zhou Family's ancestor had been for the ancient relic.
Xu Qingfeng was also stunned for a while before exclaiming, "As expected of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion's ancestor, this wealth even makes me envious."
Xu Hei knew he was just speaking casually and wouldn't actually try to seize them.
The main concern was that after the burning, many Magical Treasures had lost their effectiveness.
...209..
Magical treasures in the form of beads numbered more than ten, including Water Repelling Beads, Wind-Stabilizing Pearls, Fire Avoidance Beads, Blood Condensing Beads, Soul Locking Beads... Though their grades weren't high, they were practical and could be used in various environments.
There were also seven or eight sail-type magical treasures, along with bells, seals, fans, bowls, and more, totaling over a hundred items.
Xu Hei even suspected that they might have emptied the treasury of some merchant guild.
Xu Qingfeng picked up a banana leaf fan, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and shook his head, "What a pity, it's too damaged."
Xu Hei also picked up a magical treasure and inspected each one.
After a long while, Xu Hei shook his head helplessly.
Although there were many magical treasures, they were all damaged to varying degrees. Minor damage accounted for ten to twenty percent, while severe damage exceeded eighty percent, with some burned to ashes.
Out of over a hundred magical treasures, only about twenty were barely usable.
However, the high-grade magical treasures were all well-preserved.
Xu Hei raised his hand and pulled over a straw hat. Zhou Qing had worn this hat before; it could conceal one's aura and remained undamaged even after being burned by flames.
He placed the hat on his head, and with a flash of light, it automatically shrank to fit his head, aligning perfectly with his snake head.
Xu Hei's aura vanished instantly, as if he were just a wisp of air, with no trace of a snake.
"What a powerful effect, even stronger than an Invisibility Talisman!" Xu Hei marveled inwardly.
Xu Hei then picked up a small boat, only the size of a palm. With a thought, the boat quickly expanded to ten meters, capable of accommodating about five people.
"Earth Boat, able to traverse deserts and underground, faster than the Earth Escape Technique," Xu Hei thought to himself.
Next, he picked up a pair of radiant wings.
"Heavenly Silkworm Wings, can increase flight speed..."
"..."
One magical treasure after another was collected by Xu Hei.
Most of the magical treasures in the storage bag had auxiliary effects, with little enhancement for combat.
But when facing treacherous environments, these magical treasures could be crucial!
For instance, in the Earth Path before, Xu Hei had entered without any preparation, relying solely on luck and the Small Teleportation Talisman to get through.
But with these magical treasures, Xu Hei was ninety percent confident he could make it through.
And as for the yet-to-be-explored Fire Path, although Xu Hei hadn't been there, he felt more confident.
Xu Hei stored all the usable magical treasures and said to Xu Qingfeng, "Can you repair the remaining ones?"
"Damage below fifty percent should be repairable, but beyond that, I'll do my best," Xu Qingfeng replied.
Xu Hei nodded, "Alright, if you succeed in repairing them, consider it your reward."
The other party had helped so much, it wouldn't be right to offer nothing in return.
Though getting things for free was quite enjoyable.
Xu Qingfeng didn't stand on ceremony, storing the damaged magical treasures, and said, "Then I won't refuse. Once I've repaired them all, I'll show you to see if there's anything you need."
"Thank you."
Xu Hei controlled the puppet to cup its fists in thanks.
Xu Qingfeng smiled calmly and walked towards the door.
Xu Hei remained outwardly calm, but his heart was turbulent.
Throughout, the other party's eyes never showed a hint of greed. Even if there had been a trace, Xu Hei would have immediately gone into battle mode, but there was none! Not even a little!
In fact, Xu Hei suspected that if he hadn't spoken up, the other party might have left without asking for any benefits.
Xu Hei hesitated slightly and asked, "Are your injuries alright?"
Xu Qingfeng appeared unscathed on the surface, but Xu Hei's senses were sharp; the other party was definitely severely injured.
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In the clash of Elemental Infant realms, with Yin Mingzi, the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, and other powerful figures assisting at Lei He, it was almost impossible for him to escape unscathed.
"Little friend, there's no need to worry. It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."
Xu Qingfeng dismissed it lightly and walked out the door.
Xu Hei said no more. He had intended to offer an ancient healing pill if the other party's injuries were severe, but since it wasn't needed, he wouldn't take it out.
He took out the jade slip left by Xu Bai and carefully sensed it for a moment, but found no clues.
All he knew was that it was somewhere in Wuyou City, but there was no specific location.
"Where is Xu Bai?" Xu Hei wondered.
He left the room and entered the courtyard.
Everyone was busy with their own tasks.
At this moment, Zhang Tie was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, facing Master Ku Xuan, with his eyes closed.
"Focus on your nose, your nose on your mouth, your mouth on your heart, and with no distractions, you can suppress the demonic thoughts within," Ku Xuan recited a Buddhist mantra, holding a string of prayer beads.
Zhang Tie silently recited the scriptures, and a wisp of black energy on his body dissipated, his skin color lightening.
Before long, Zhang Tie opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and as if a great weight had been lifted.
"Thank you, Master!"
Zhang Tie stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed.
Xu Hei watched from the side, feeling quite amazed.
He had heard of Demon Man Zhang Tie, said to be a half-demon, prone to going berserk. Every few days, his demonic nature would flare up uncontrollably, and only Ku Xuan could calm it.
Demon Monk Ku Xuan was a master in psychological treatment.
At this moment, Xiao Chou also approached, sitting cross-legged on the prayer mat, and said, "Master Ku Xuan, I've been having nightmares lately. Please help me understand them."
"Oh? What have you been dreaming about?" Ku Xuan smiled slightly.
"Dreaming of some women, which troubles me greatly. I'm considering becoming a monk to clear my mind," Xiao Chou said with a troubled expression.
He had long vowed never to touch a woman in this life, but being young, despite his words, his mind often wandered, leading to dreams.
Xu Hei paused nearby, watching with interest.
Ku Xuan was silent for a moment, then smiled, "Young benefactor Xiao, it's normal for a young man full of vigor. Why not face yourself honestly?"
Xiao Chou's eyes flickered, "Then, Master Ku Xuan, what should I do?"
Ku Xuan smiled and took a red ball from his storage bag, placing it in front of the prayer mat.
"Master, what is this..."
Xiao Chou looked at the red ball, only half the size of a fist, fluffy.
Ku Xuan smiled without speaking, then took out a mirror and placed it beside the red ball.
He said nothing, simply watching Xiao Chou quietly.
Xiao Chou seemed to ponder, then his eyes lit up, "I understand. Master wants me to be passionate and lively, not lifeless, to illuminate the path ahead, right?"
Ku Xuan sighed helplessly, "No."
Then, seeing Xiao Chou's dumbfounded expression, he explained, "I meant that you could put this red ball on your nose, then look in the mirror and recognize yourself."
Hearing this, Xiao Chou picked up the red ball and mirror, about to place it on his nose.
Suddenly, his whole body froze.
Xiao Chou looked at the red ball in his hand, then at the mirror, imagining the scene, and his face turned as black as coal.
Xu Hei was utterly speechless, sighed silently, and turned to leave.
Beside him, the Vulture couldn't hold back and burst into sharp laughter.
"Only by recognizing yourself can you avoid unrealistic fantasies, Amitabha!" Ku Xuan clasped his hands and recited a Buddhist mantra.
...
At this moment, at the gate of Wuyou City.
"The time has come, let's move out!"
Zhou Qingxuan led his team, immediately setting off and rushing into Wuyou City, with everyone following closely behind, like shadows.
....210...
This time, Zhou Qingxuan recruited over thirty people, including three at the Core Formation Stage.
One was an old white-haired man named Cang Ming, another was Han Te, and the third was a newly joined middle-aged woman in blue. All three were at the early Core Formation Stage.
These people were all old hands, extremely cunning, forcing him to spend five times the usual price to barely secure their services.
Only because the Zhou Family was wealthy and powerful could they afford such extravagance; the Bai Family wouldn't dare waste resources like this.
After the group left, they were followed by a crowd of outsiders trailing behind at a distance. But after Cang Ming made a move and killed three people, the rest dared not follow any longer.
Before long, they arrived at the Zhou Family's stronghold.
It was a spacious courtyard, once a noble's residence in ancient times, now occupied by the Zhou Family.
Zhou Wendie walked out from the courtyard and handed over a jade slip, saying, "This is a message from above."
Zhou Qingxuan took the jade slip, and after reading its contents, his face immediately turned grim. "It's about dealing with the Chu Tian Alliance again..."
Xu Hei, who had been paying attention to the commotion ahead, was suddenly startled upon hearing this.
"Are we going?" Zhou Wendie asked.
"Our Zhou Family has suffered such heavy losses, and they still want to order us around! If they want to go, they can go themselves; we won't participate!" Zhou Qingxuan said in a deep voice.
"But Xu Qingfeng is seriously injured; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Zhou Wendie hesitated.
"Hmph, no matter, we have more important things to do."
Although the Zhou Family duo's conversation was quiet, they hadn't used Divine Sense to isolate it, allowing Xu Hei to hear everything clearly.
His eyes flickered as he quickly pieced together the contents of the jade slip.
The Heavenly Puppet Sect was planning to target the Chu Tian Alliance and was gathering manpower, but the Zhou Family had refused!
But then, Xu Hei realized something was off.
Why wasn't the Zhou Family keeping such important information under wraps?
Anyone like Xu Hei, who was intent on eavesdropping, could easily overhear their conversation. Weren't they afraid of leaks?Or was this intentional on their part?
Xu Hei squinted his eyes, sensing that things weren't simple. Regardless of what schemes the Zhou Family was playing, the Chu Tian Alliance definitely needed a heads-up.
...
Xu Hei's true self immediately found Xu Qingfeng and briefly explained the situation.
He didn't mention how he got the information, only the conclusion.
"Looks like we have to move again," Xu Qingfeng sighed.
He didn't question the reliability of the information and directly announced the move.
Immediately, the members of the Chu Tian Alliance began packing up.
Flags from the formation were pulled up, houses were lifted and stored in their storage spaces, and traces were cleared. The whole process took only two breaths, their efficiency astonishing.
Before long, they had relocated to a new site.
This place, in ancient times, was likely a school, with statues of sages and a stone tablet in the courtyard. However, time had weathered them, leaving only faint traces of words like "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently good."
Xu Qingfeng took out formation flags and placed them in various positions, Zhang Tie set up the houses, and Zhao Wenzhuo established a Gathering Spirit Array. In no time, the environment transformed back to its previous state.
"The efficiency of this escape is truly second nature," Xu Hei thought to himself.
"Hey, bald snake, what's your name?"
At this moment, the Vulture flew over, stopping not far from Xu Hei, and asked with a grin.
Bald snake... Xu Hei's mouth twitched slightly, "Are you insulting me?"
"How could that be an insult? You have no hair on your head, if not bald, then what? Besides, being bald isn't something everyone can have; it's a symbol of strength! I have no respect for creatures with hair on their heads."
The Vulture approached, acting overly familiar, pointing at others.
"..." Xu Hei remained silent.
"Let me introduce myself first, I'm Ku Ming, that's the Dharma name Big Baldy gave me. And you?" the Vulture chuckled.
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"Xu Hei."
"So it's Brother Xu. Everyone in the Chu Tian Alliance is a weirdo; only the two of us are somewhat normal. As they say, 'near vermilion, one becomes red.' I hope we can look out for each other," the Vulture said with a smile.
No, you're not normal either, only I am... Xu Hei silently stepped back a bit.
After hesitating for a moment, Xu Hei asked, "Can you introduce the members of the Chu Tian Alliance?"
His understanding of the Chu Tian Alliance was limited to external rumors.
"Hey, you've asked the right person. When it comes to intelligence, I'm number one!" the Vulture boasted.
He pointed with his wing at a silver-haired girl staring blankly at a wall in the distance, "First, there's the Silver-haired Witch. This one has amnesia, a block of wood, no interests whatsoever, except a hobby of collecting names."
"The funny thing is, she even forgot her own name, so people call her Ah Yin or Little Silver."
The Vulture seemed to mock her.
Xu Hei nodded in realization, no wonder the Silver-haired Witch only had a nickname.
Then, the Vulture pointed at Zhang Tie, "This one's a weirdo too, single-minded and prone to madness. Last time, after a bit of drinking, he nearly tore down his old home..."
The Vulture continued to badmouth everyone, his voice loud and unrestrained.
Even the usually kind Xu Qingfeng wasn't spared.
In his eyes, only Master Ku Xuan was normal; everyone else was a freak.
"And that Zhao Wenzhuo, you better watch out for him. He used to be a Snake Catcher, specialized in catching your kind. Don't be fooled by his honest appearance; he's actually quite devious," the Vulture muttered.
Xu Hei grew interested and asked, "How so? Tell me more."
"How would I know? Anyway, anyone with hair on their head is no good!" the Vulture concluded.
Xu Hei was speechless once again.
In no time, Xu Hei had a complete understanding of the Chu Tian Alliance.
The Chu Tian Alliance wasn't just a few people; it had over a thousand members led by the leader, but Xu Qingfeng's team was particularly famous.
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Xu Qingfeng's goal was simple: to restore the Chu Kingdom and establish a well-governed nation.
Although the others had different personal goals, they shared a common direction, which brought them together.
...
"Boom!!!"
Suddenly, the ground shook, and a layer of light appeared in the sky, filled with cracks as if struck by some massive object.
"What's happening?"
The members of the Chu Tian Alliance looked up, bewildered, towards the horizon.
"Boom!!"
Another thunderous crash followed as the massive object struck the light again, causing the cracks to spread across the light.
At the same time, tremors came from all directions, as if countless cultivators were attacking their formation.
"What's going on? Where are the lookouts?"
Zhang Tie cursed.
"Something's wrong, we're surrounded by corpse puppets!"
A rogue cultivator ran back, shouting.
"Surrounded by corpse puppets?"
The Vulture's eyes widened, muttering, "This is bad, we're in for a fight again."
Xu Qingfeng also emerged from his secluded healing, arriving in the courtyard.
With a loud "boom," the light shattered completely, and the Yin Sha Qi from outside swept in, turning the world pitch black.
All around, countless black figures hovered, filling the sky and ground, their faces twisted and filled with murderous intent—all corpse puppets.
Such a massive number was something they had never encountered before.
"Is this... a corpse tide?" Zhang Tie's face turned ashen.
A corpse tide, as the name suggests, is a massive gathering of corpse puppets. But such occurrences are extremely rare; corpse puppets are mindless and never act collectively.
Unless... there's a higher-level corpse puppet commanding them.
Once a corpse tide erupts, it signifies a danger surpassing all others, reaching an unpredictable level.
"How could this happen? This place was chosen as a Feng Shui treasure, how could a corpse tide erupt?" Zhao Wenzhuo was in disbelief.