Ku Xuan remained calm, while Ah Yin showed no expression.
What kind of scene hasn't the Chu Tian Alliance witnessed? They were much more composed, but the group of rogue cultivators were panicking, their faces pale.
Xu Hei felt that something was amiss.
They had just moved in and hadn't even settled down when they were surrounded by corpse puppets, without any warning or sign. Were these people just sitting around doing nothing?
"No need to panic, they're just a bunch of mindless zombies. I have a way to escape," Xu Qingfeng declared loudly.
Hearing this, the rogue cultivators finally calmed down a bit.
"Are you going to use that move again? Can you handle it?" Zhang Tie said gravely. "Why don't we fight our way out? Maybe we can break through!"
"Absolutely not. The corpse puppets have no intelligence. If they are acting collectively, it means there's a Corpse King-level existence among them. We mustn't alert them!" Xu Qingfeng's expression was serious.
The strength of these corpse puppets wasn't great, and there were few with long hair. But breaking through would be easy; if they alerted the Red-haired Corpse King, it would be a big problem.
Xu Hei pondered, secretly transmitting, "Do you think this is a natural disaster or a man-made one?"
Xu Qingfeng didn't answer the question, just gave him a meaningful look.
Xu Hei suddenly realized that if he could think of the problem, how could the other party not know? To stand in this position, one must not be simple.
"I understand," Xu Hei nodded silently.
At this moment, Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll and slowly unfurled it.
In an instant, a terrifying and vast energy wave spread out, sweeping across a thousand feet. Within this range, Xu Hei saw countless mountains and rivers rising from the ground.
Green mountains, flowing rivers, vast clouds, and purple pavilions appeared, forming a magnificent landscape.
Any corpse puppet that approached was repelled by the terrifying power of the mountains and rivers, pushed back a thousand feet away, as if this place had become a forbidden zone.
The Mountain and River Diagram!
A domain-type magical treasure, unique in the history of the Chu Kingdom."Is this Xu Qingfeng's trump card?"
Xu Hei was shocked. Under the cover of this mountain and river power, it felt as if they were isolated from the world.
Xu Qingfeng's face was pale, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Using this treasure came at a great cost to him.
"Boss!" Zhang Tie's face showed a struggle.
"It's fine."
Xu Qingfeng's voice was firm, but his aura was very weak. Holding the Mountain and River Diagram, he stepped towards the outside.
As he moved, the mountains and rivers of Chu Prefecture moved with him. Within a thousand feet, wherever the mountains and rivers passed, no evil could invade, and no yin energy could enter. This place was like a world apart.
Xu Hei's mind was filled with thoughts.
"If it's a natural disaster, this can be understood."
"But if it's man-made, the other party is clearly forcing you to use the Mountain and River Diagram, trying to exhaust you, making your injuries worse! From the conversation between the two from the Zhou Family, the Heavenly Puppet Sect knows he's injured."
"I also gave Xu Qingfeng a hint, so why is he still doing this?"
Xu Hei observed secretly, his Divine Sense scanning each person's face, but he had no clue.
Xu Qingfeng was definitely no fool. He must have his reasons for doing this.
Xu Qingfeng activated the Mountain and River Diagram, leading the group to escape far away, quickly breaking through the encirclement of the corpse tide.
But soon, Xu Hei noticed something was wrong.
After breaking out of the encirclement, Xu Qingfeng's speed was not fast, always maintaining a consistent distance with the pursuing corpse puppets behind.
Whenever a corpse puppet fell behind, he would deliberately wait for a moment before continuing forward.
"What is he trying to do?"
Xu Hei's heart tightened.
Moreover, looking at Xu Qingfeng, although his face was always pale, with blood at the corner of his mouth, seemingly about to collapse from serious injury at any moment.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
But he kept moving at a steady pace, never actually collapsing.
This ambiguous appearance made Xu Hei's mind buzz.
"Is this guy acting?"
Xu Hei recalled earlier when he asked about the other's injuries and had intended to offer pills, but Xu Qingfeng decisively refused.
At the time, Xu Hei didn't think much of it, but now, he suddenly understood.
As time passed, the corpse tide not only didn't decrease but continued to grow. Whenever a corpse puppet appeared nearby, it would follow and join the army of the corpse tide.
The Chu Tian Alliance was in front, the corpse tide behind, moving all the way through.
...
At this moment, in a certain stronghold in Wuyou City.
The area was vast, the terrain flat, surrounded by towering city walls. In ancient times, this place was a martial arena, now occupied by the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
Hundreds of people from the four sects of the Southern Region were stationed here.
Unlike the Zhou Family and Bai Family, as sects of a defeated nation, they could only comply with arrangements.
However, they had gained many benefits from this trip, and many had even made breakthroughs.
Especially the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, who was beaming with joy. Just now, he had received a Longevity Pill, a reward from Lei He.
But he didn't rush to consume it. The pill was quite peculiar, and from its appearance, it didn't seem to be from ancient times.
Lei He obviously noticed this too. Although he said it was a reward, he actually intended for him to test the pill.
The Thirteenth Ancestor, having absorbed yin energy for years, had become neither human nor ghost, but his mind was still sharp, and he could see through Lei He's little scheme.
"Want me to test the pill, huh? Why don't you try it yourself?"
The Thirteenth Ancestor sneered inwardly. Out of caution, he planned to take it back for identification before consuming it.
Additionally, he thought of that snake.
"That snake is definitely a rare treasure. If I can capture it, consume its blood, and swallow its snake pill, I can surely break through to the late Core Formation stage, or even Great Perfection! Coupled with the Longevity Pill, I might have a chance to reach the Elemental Infant stage in the future!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's eyes gleamed.
They said that snake killed Zhou Qing and was hard to deal with, but as the ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, he feared no snake. He had ten thousand ways to kill a snake!
Besides, who knew who really killed Zhou Qing? No one saw it happen.
"This is my great opportunity, my great fortune! It must be mine!" The Thirteenth Ancestor grew more excited, sitting alone in his room, unable to suppress a sinister laugh.
"Everyone, retreat immediately!"
Suddenly, a roar came from outside, the voice of Lei He.
In an instant, figures rushed out from every room. The Snake Catchers Sect, Tai Xuan Sect, Carefree Sect, Purple Mist Sect, and some cultivators recruited by the Heavenly Puppet Sect all appeared in the open square.
At this moment, dark clouds loomed in the distance, and a massive, oppressive shadow charged forward with terrifying speed. The air was filled with murderous intent. As everyone focused their gaze, they saw it was a massive corpse tide!
This corpse tide was being drawn by the Mountain and River Diagram, sweeping towards the Heavenly Puppet Sect's people!
Everyone was stunned, their expressions terrified, as if they had seen a ghost.
"How is this possible?"
"Quick... run!"
No reminder was needed; everyone scattered in all directions, only to be horrified to find that the Mountain and River Diagram was faster, and the corpse tide was accelerating.
It was about to catch up with them!
"Xu Qingfeng, are you courting death? Have you lost your mind?"
Lei He roared in anger, staring at the pale, shaky figure of the middle-aged scholar within the Mountain and River Diagram.
In response, Xu Qingfeng merely smiled calmly and said, "That's right, I'm almost done for, just holding on by a thread. You can try a bit harder."
He increased his speed, carrying the Mountain and River Diagram and the Chu Tian Alliance members, quickly passing through the Heavenly Puppet Sect's stronghold.
The corpse tide behind them rushed directly into the stronghold, and the army of corpse puppets immediately changed direction, pursuing the scattered cultivators.
The scene descended into chaos, turning into a multi-sided massacre.
Screams and cries for help filled the air.
At this point, how could Lei He not realize he had been played? His fury erupted, and he gritted his teeth, cursing, "Xu Qingfeng, I never thought a righteous person like you could act so despicably!"
"Despicable? You planted so many spies in my Chu Tian Alliance, and you have the nerve to talk about despicability!" Xu Qingfeng retorted.
///////212/////
Inserting spies is something anyone can do, even trusted aides can be bought off, let alone rogue cultivators.
Xu Qingfeng had also planted spies within the Four Sects Alliance, otherwise, he wouldn't have known the location of the Heavenly Puppet Sect's stronghold.
As for the injuries on his body, they were indeed real.
However, as one of the first to enter the Blood Corpse Cave, he had acquired quite a few ancient pills. Among them was a fourth-tier healing sacred pill, the Blood Locking Pill!
The Blood Locking Pill only works when one is gravely injured and on the brink of death, allowing Xu Qingfeng to maintain a severely injured state without dying.
Of course, the Blood Locking Pill he obtained had lost most of its potency over the long years, only able to sustain him for a short while.
"It's time to retreat."
Xu Qingfeng glanced at Lei He, who was busy putting out fires everywhere, and mocked, "Lei He, tell your pawns to be more mindful, and stop feeding you false information to trap you!"
He didn't forget to throw in a taunt before leaving.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Qingfeng poured all his true essence into the Mountain and River Diagram, transforming it into a meteor that carried everyone away into the distance.
"Pawns?"
Xu Hei glanced over everyone within the Mountain and River Diagram and shook his head. This matter had nothing to do with him; he was merely in a cooperative relationship with the Chu Tian Alliance, and once they left the ruins, he would part ways.
Compared to demonic beasts, the survival environment for human cultivators was, in some ways, even harsher.
...
At the same time, another incarnation began its action.
Led by members of the Zhou Family, a large group of rogue cultivators raced through the city, weaving through streets and alleys, arriving at an unexplored area.
The mist in the sky grew thicker, the air was pitch black, and visibility was only about thirty meters, making it difficult to extend one's divine sense.
In such an environment, corpse puppets could emerge from the shadows at any moment.
Pubfuture Ads
Everyone was on high alert, constantly vigilant of their surroundings.
The Zhou Family members also slowed their pace, opting to walk instead of flying.
Moments later, they arrived in front of a grand and majestic mansion.
"We're here!" Zhou Qingxuan stopped, and Zhou Wendie stood before the mansion, gazing at the plaque above.
All the rogue cultivators focused their attention, staring at the mansion in front of them.
The plaque bore three large characters: City Lord's Mansion!
"The City Lord's Mansion of Wuyou City!" Xu Hei was secretly shocked.
There had long been suspicions that the City Lord's Mansion held great opportunities and secrets of Wuyou City!
However, the location of the City Lord's Mansion had always been unknown.
Various forces had been exploring, yet they could never find the City Lord's Mansion.
Now, the Zhou Family had actually been the first to discover its location, which excited Xu Hei.
Not only him, but the rogue cultivators around him exchanged glances, their expressions excited, with some quietly taking out communication jade slips.
"Hmph!"
Zhou Qingxuan let out a cold snort, and an invisible sound wave rippled out. The person who had just taken out a communication jade slip had their arm shattered, screamed in pain, and fell to the ground.
"I know some of you are spies from other forces, but since you've taken spirit stones from my Myriad Treasure Pavilion, you should serve the Pavilion. Please refrain from any small actions, or don't blame me for turning hostile."
Zhou Qingxuan's eyes were filled with killing intent, and the terrifying pressure of the Golden Core stage was released, immediately instilling fear in everyone, quelling any thoughts of resistance.
Even the two subordinates loyal to the Heavenly Puppet Sect trembled in fear, clearly feeling the pressure focused on them.
"However, if you all perform well, my Myriad Treasure Pavilion will reward you handsomely once the task is complete. Pills and magical treasures will be yours to choose from!"
A carrot-and-stick approach, Zhou Qingxuan handled it well.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
Everyone quickly put away their thoughts, after all, they were paid to do a job.
"No wonder the Zhou Family refused the Heavenly Puppet Sect and deliberately leaked information, they wanted to entangle them in trouble and not compete for the opportunity here!" Xu Hei suddenly understood.
These major forces are not simple!
Now, the Heavenly Puppet Sect is preoccupied, being chased everywhere by corpse puppets, where would they find the time to come to the City Lord's Mansion?
"The City Lord's Mansion, haha, Miss Zhou truly is a person of great fortune, a true child of destiny in this era, I did not misjudge!" Tianji Shangren stroked his beard, his smile bright and his mood even more cheerful.
Most of the buildings in Wuyou City had weathered the storms and were in ruins. Yet, the City Lord's Mansion before them still retained its intact form, with faint powerful spiritual power fluctuations, clearly indicating its extraordinary nature.
At this moment, Zhou Qingxuan took out a large number of formation flags, placing them in various positions to form a formation, isolating the area to prevent anyone from leaving.
Even if someone did discover this place, they wouldn't be able to break in quickly.
"Foundation Establishment cultivators, please guard within the formation. If anyone approaches, regardless of who they are, kill without mercy! As for those at the Core Formation stage, please follow me inside!"
Zhou Qingxuan said solemnly, then led the way into the City Lord's Mansion.
Cang Ming, Han Te, and the middle-aged female cultivator followed him into the mansion.
"Only those at the Core Formation stage can enter?"
The rogue cultivators exchanged looks, whispering among themselves.
Suddenly, a figure darted in like lightning, surprisingly a rogue cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. This person, confident in their skills, decided to take a risk for the potential great opportunity.
He took out a third-tier spiritual umbrella, held it above his head, and rushed through the door.
But immediately, a scream echoed, and the rogue cultivator was sent flying back, his body shattered, and he fell to the ground, dead on the spot.
"Dead?!"
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
Pubfuture Ads
"Hmph! The City Lord's Mansion has extremely strong spiritual pressure, those below the Core Formation stage cannot enter. Would my Myriad Treasure Pavilion deceive you?" A Zhou Family elder spoke disdainfully.
They recruited these Foundation Establishment cultivators merely to make up the numbers, just to prevent outsiders from noticing anything.
With this, no one doubted anymore, and they all retreated obediently.
Zhou Wendie walked to the door, her body enveloped in a true essence shield, and stepped inside without any rejection.
Seeing this, someone immediately realized something.
"True essence..."
Xu Hei's eyes flickered, deep in thought.
True essence can only be released after forming a Golden Core, this was the pass to the City Lord's Mansion.
It wasn't necessarily about being at the Core Formation stage; as long as you had a way to release true essence, you could enter.
Liu Buqun hesitated for a moment but didn't act. Although he could also release true essence, it was too risky.
"Does this fellow Daoist also wish to give it a try?"
Tianji Shangren smiled, looking at Xu Hei.
Xu Hei remained silent.
"Haha, fellow Daoist is also a person of great fortune, I am willing to lend you a hand!"
Tianji Shangren smiled slightly, taking out a fingernail-sized Golden Core, from which faint true essence emanated, forming a golden shield.
Xu Hei glanced at the miniature Golden Core and said, "What do you mean by this?"
"The more people there are, the greater the chance of obtaining the opportunity here. I just want to form a good relationship with you, nothing more." Tianji Shangren smiled.
Xu Hei's face remained expressionless, but he was on guard inside.
There's no such thing as a free lunch!
Tianji Shangren had been mysterious and unpredictable from the start, with unclear intentions, always trying to get close.
Talking about fortune and destiny, what was he after?
Xu Hei shook his head and said, "No need for your trouble, I don't wish to form any good relationships with someone I don't know!"
Tianji Shangren's smile vanished instantly.
Clearly, Xu Hei's response was unexpected.
///213/////
"Hehe, fellow Daoist, you might have misunderstood me. After all, we just met by chance, and it's natural to be cautious. I understand."
Tianji Shangren gave a bitter smile and put away the Golden Core.
"Fate is not something to be forced. Farewell, fellow Daoist!"
Tianji Shangren cupped his hands, stood up, and walked into the City Lord's mansion, disappearing from sight.
Liu Buqun's eyes flickered as he asked Xu Hei, "Did you notice anything?"
"No," Xu Hei shook his head.
The more elusive it is, the more vigilant one must be!
Even with Xu Qingfeng, Xu Hei only dared to interact after understanding his character, and he still remained cautious. Let alone this mysterious old Daoist.
After a brief contemplation, he controlled Passerby Ding to stand up and walk to the gate of the City Lord's mansion.
The Zhou Family elder at the entrance did not stop him, merely showing a hint of disdain in his eyes.
Xu Hei took a deep breath and, following the method of refining corpse puppets from the Xuan Yin Tower, took a deep breath, absorbing the Yin Qi from the surroundings into his body, and pushed it towards Passerby Ding's abdomen.
Gradually, a fingernail-sized corpse core formed in the Dantian.
Inside the butcher's body, there was already a half-finished corpse core. Xu Hei merely followed the pattern, giving the corpse puppet the cultivation level of the False Core Stage.
He wasn't sure if he could enter, but he had to try.
Xu Hei stepped forward and walked into the City Lord's mansion. Instantly, an invisible pressure seemed to envelop him, and he immediately raised the corpse Qi to cover his body.
The pressure swept over him and then disappeared, allowing Xu Hei to breathe a sigh of relief.
This must be some sort of cultivation level check. As long as one met the standard, they were allowed entry.
Seeing Xu Hei enter safely, the crowd outside erupted in astonishment.
"Another one went in?"
The Zhou Family elder was slightly taken aback, then muttered to himself, "Hehe, what a pleasant surprise."
The higher-ups had instructed that the more people who entered, the better.
If not for the tight schedule and the desire to avoid attracting too much attention, they wouldn't have only recruited three Core Formation Stage cultivators.
Inside the City Lord's mansion, the light was bright, as if passing through a membrane and entering a grand hall.
Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw a human statue from ancient times standing ahead.
Despite the countless years that had passed, the statue remained vivid and lifelike, its features clear, its expression calm, holding a scroll in one hand and the other behind its back, exuding a scholarly elegance, faintly showing the grace of its era.
"Is this the City Lord of Wuyou City, Mo Wuyou?" Xu Hei's heart tightened.
At this moment, Zhou Wendie, Zhou Qingxuan, and the three recruited rogue cultivators, along with Tianji Shangren, were all looking at the statue.
Upon noticing Xu Hei's entry, a trace of surprise flashed in Zhou Wendie's eyes as she looked at Zhou Qingxuan, seemingly seeking instructions.
"No problem," Zhou Qingxuan said calmly.
Xu Hei did not move forward, merely observing from a distance, while also taking in the surrounding scenery.
Inside the City Lord's mansion, though spacious, it was not luxurious in the slightest. Wooden tables and chairs were placed against the walls, and there were potted plants in the corners, though they had withered.
The bookshelves nearby were filled with numerous literary scrolls, showcasing the owner's elegant taste.
This was completely different from a traditional City Lord's mansion.
There were no weapons or soldiers, no strict guards, and no killing aura—only some brushes and scrolls, more like a study than a City Lord's residence.
The statue stood in front of a desk, its gaze seemingly looking at everyone.
"It seems consistent with the ancient records. Mo Wuyou yearned for a carefree life, which was a necessary path on his journey to Divine Transformation."
Xu Hei thought to himself, feeling eighty percent certain that this statue was indeed Mo Wuyou.
"Senior, our Zhou Family is ready. We can begin."
Zhou Wendie walked to the statue, bowed slightly, and a wisp of soul blood flew from her forehead, landing on the scroll in the statue's hand.
In an instant, the statue's eyes became clear, as if it had come to life.
Seeing this scene, Xu Hei frowned slightly and instinctively took a few steps back.
At this moment, the statue's eyes sparkled with life, scanning the crowd, and a distant voice emerged: "Inheritor, Zhou Wendie, once the path of inheritance begins, there is no turning back. Are you sure?"
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
"Yes!" Zhou Wendie nodded solemnly.
Even with her state of mind, she clenched her fists tightly, unable to hide her excitement.
Xu Hei, however, detected a layer of meaning in the statue's words.
Inheritor, Zhou Wendie... So what were they? Support? Just here to help?
"The Five Elements Inheritance, Water Realm, activate!"
As the statue's voice fell, the scenery in the room rapidly changed, the surrounding environment twisting as if being transported, or as if in a dream.
Everyone looked tense, watching the rapidly changing environment, their palms quietly clenching.
After a long time, the scene stabilized.
The sky turned azure, the ground covered in white frost, with numerous lakes scattered around, rivers flowing endlessly.
In the distance, ice mountains stood at the edge of sight.
A rich and intense water-element Spiritual Qi rose from the heavens and earth.
This was a world of water!
"This is..." Zhou Wendie's pupils contracted.
Zhou Qingxuan, Tianji Shangren, and the remaining three rogue cultivators all showed expressions of shock.
"This is the third path!" The old man named Cang Ming said in a deep voice.
"This is the Water Path of the Five Elements Land!" Tianji Shangren spoke.
On the way to Wuyou City, there were five paths: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. This was clearly the third Water Path.
However, the Water Path before them showed no signs of eerie ghostly Qi; instead, it seemed like it had just been established in ancient times.
The rich water-element Spiritual Qi subtly enhanced everyone's cultivation.
Especially for cultivators with a water Spiritual Root.
"There are a total of five inheritances?"
Zhou Wendie's expression changed.
She had thought the inheritance here was unique, but who would have thought there were five! Doesn't this mean others could gain the same opportunities as her?
This made her extremely unbalanced.
The Zhou Family had gone to great lengths, recruiting cultivators, sealing off information, and even risking offending the Heavenly Puppet Sect, all to monopolize the benefits, but the result was not as expected.
Zhou Qingxuan's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but ask, "Are there people in the other four inheritance lands now?"
The phantom in the sky shook its head and said, "No, there aren't."
"If after a year, there are still no people, you will win directly."
This made Zhou Wendie slightly relieved.
The ancient relic had been explored for half a year, and no one had discovered an inheritance land yet. Even most of Wuyou City's area remained unexplored.
The Zhou Family just got lucky finding the City Lord's mansion.
Give it another year, so what?
Moreover, a year here is only a month outside. What could be found in a month?
Zhou Wendie secretly prayed that the other four inheritance lands would remain undiscovered, so all the benefits would be hers alone.
...
But in reality, the outside world was not as Zhou Wendie imagined.
At this moment, Wuyou City was already in an uproar!
Everyone in Wuyou City was looking up at the sky, where dim light shone down, falling on the streets and the dilapidated buildings.
Under the light, dreamlike scenes unfolded throughout Wuyou City.
Countless phantom figures walked along the streets, countless new pavilions appeared amidst the ruins.
This was a Historical Projection!
An unprecedented, city-wide Historical Projection!
Everyone was stunned, stopping whatever they were doing to watch this awe-inspiring scene, even the corpse puppets halted, ceasing their pursuit.
History was reappearing, old acquaintances returning! The scenes shifted from blurry to clear, like a mirage within reach.
Even ancient voices emerged, with the sounds of people bargaining in the market, babies crying, mothers soothing them, street gossip, and youths studying, as if right by the ear.
Everything seemed to have returned!
At this moment, a massive phantom figure appeared atop Wuyou City, hands behind its back, eyes deep, overlooking all beings.
The City Lord of Wuyou, the third-generation ancestor of the Divine Puppet Sect, Mo Wuyou!
////214///
Inside Wuyou City.
Everyone looked up at the sky, utterly awestruck by the magnificent and grand scene before them.
Such a heaven-reaching and earth-penetrating feat couldn't be described as mere spells; it was a divine ability, a power that even Elemental Infant cultivators might not possess!
"Honored guests from afar, welcome to Wuyou City!"
A deep, resonant voice echoed from the horizon, reaching everyone's ears.
All listened intently, eyes unblinking.
The middle-aged scholar standing high in the sky spoke loudly, "I am Mo Wuyou, the City Lord of Wuyou. Within the city, I have left five places of inheritance. Now, the first inheritance site has opened. You have only one month to find the remaining four!"
"A month later, those who find the inheritance sites can undergo the next round of trials and ultimately compete for my entire legacy!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's minds became active.
Bai Luo stared at the figure in the sky, murmuring, "Is this the third-generation ancestor of the Divine Puppet Sect?"
"Indeed, it matches the portrait!" Lei He replied in a deep voice.
"But shouldn't he have the surname Gongshu?" Bai Luo questioned in surprise.
Though the Heavenly Puppet Sect is just a branch, there are some records about the successive leaders of the headquarters.
The first leader was Gongshu Zi, the second was Mo Ban, and the following six generations were all from the Gongshu family.
Only the third leader remained a taboo, with no records at all.
Lei He was silent for a moment before saying, "Such secrets are beyond my knowledge. You should ask your master."
Bai Luo nodded heavily.
Regardless, with the inheritance sites opened, the next goal was clear, rather than wandering aimlessly like headless flies, playing cat and mouse with the Chu Tian Alliance.
At this moment, the members of the Four Sects Alliance narrowly escaped death.
The Thirteenth Ancestor widened his eyes, exclaiming, "There are four more inheritance sites?"
Everyone exchanged glances, realizing what this meant.
It meant they had a great chance to seize one, or even two or three!
The Heavenly Puppet Sect would undoubtedly secure one, without a doubt, and the Four Sects Alliance could take the leftovers.
Everyone's spirits immediately soared; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to defy fate.
"Our Snake Catchers Sect must secure one inheritance site," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.
Not just them, but everyone in Wuyou City was equally excited.
They came to the ancient relics seeking great opportunities and fortunes, didn't they?
Now, the greatest fortune lay right before them, so what reason was there not to fight for it?
But Mo Wuyou's next words poured cold water on everyone.
"Although my inheritance is open to all, I advise you not to make a fool of yourself if you don't have the strength of the Core Formation Stage."
"If you're not capable, even if I grant you a fortune, you won't be able to handle it!"
"I'm only giving you a month, so make the most of it!"
With those words, Mo Wuyou's apparition completely vanished.
But the historical projections within Wuyou City remained, proving that what had just happened was no illusion but reality!
"To think it requires Core Formation Stage cultivation!"
"The Core Formation Stage, whether in the Chu Kingdom or the Qin Kingdom, is a top-tier expert, and there aren't many of them."
"It seems it's not meant for us."
Of those who came to the ancient relics, over ninety percent were Foundation Establishment cultivators, with very few at the Core Formation Stage.
And the Core Formation Stage was merely a threshold.
This undoubtedly deterred the majority of cultivators.
However, some still harbored a glimmer of hope, wanting to try their luck.
The Chu Tian Alliance had already settled at a new stronghold, having prepared several such places like a cunning rabbit with multiple burrows.
"Four inheritance sites, Core Formation Stage..."
Xu Qingfeng pondered briefly before swiftly making a decision.
They must strive for one of Mo Wuyou's inheritances; after all, the Chu Tian Alliance came for opportunities!
He quickly took out a map, marking it and planning the next exploration. Everyone would act separately, and they had to find the remaining inheritance sites within a month.
"Hey, Bald Snake, hey! Are you dazed?!"
Vulture patted the dazed Xu Hei.
Xu Hei snapped back to reality, still shocked.
Just now, after his avatar entered the inheritance site, it lost contact with his true self.
This phenomenon occurs when the distance is too great or when separated by a formation.
At that time, the avatar would act according to the original will of the true self, and only when the connection is reestablished would the seen images be transmitted back.
"The avatar must have been eliminated."
Xu Hei took a deep breath, touched his forehead with his fingertip, and the memories from the avatar's last moments gradually returned.
He could only see some fragmented images.
"Ice and snow, Water Realm, Five Elements Inheritance, tenfold time..."
After a long while, Xu Hei opened his eyes again, seeing some fragments from the avatar's last moments.
They seemed to have been transported into a strange space where time flowed ten times faster; one month outside was a year inside.
From the images, it appeared to be the Water of the Five Elements Land.
As for who eliminated him, he couldn't see clearly; his avatar only had thirty percent of his true self's strength, and any Core Formation cultivator could easily kill him.
"Forget it, I never expected the avatar to survive. It's already a miracle that the Zhou Family allowed an enemy to follow them for so long," Xu Hei muttered to himself.
He immediately found Xu Qingfeng and shared this information.
"The City Lord's mansion? Water Inheritance?"
Xu Qingfeng's expression turned serious, "Very well, this information is crucial to me. No need for thanks; if you have any requests, feel free to ask!"
He and Xu Hei were in a cooperative relationship, and since it was a partnership, benefits couldn't be taken for free.
"I want a pill for healing and the ancient relic's pill compendium!" Xu Hei said.
Xu Qingfeng pondered briefly and glanced at Zhang Tie.
Without a word, Zhang Tie took out a jade bottle sealed with a talisman and handed it to Xu Hei. The words "Blood Locking Pill" were written on it.
This pill was precious, and they had only found three.
Then, Xu Qingfeng personally crafted a pill compendium, detailing all the pills he knew.
"Thank you."
Xu Hei accepted the jade bottle and compendium, and his divine sense probed inside.
He had obtained many ancient pills, but he didn't recognize most of them and didn't dare to consume them recklessly, urgently needing guidance from an expert.
Xu Qingfeng unfolded the map, marking the location of the City Lord's mansion.
"The City Lord's mansion is the most important facility within Wuyou City, located in the southwest."
"The other four are of equal status. We must adopt Mo Wuyou's perspective to determine what he considers most important."
Xu Qingfeng quickly analyzed and suggested places like the "Academy," "Medical Hall," and "Martial Hall" as references.
Zhao Wenzhuo took out a tortoiseshell, calculating something continuously.
////215////
The Chu Tian Alliance quickly identified the first possible location of the inheritance, which was their previous stronghold.
It was an academy.
Xu Qingfeng's eyes flickered, and he immediately said, "Let's set off at once!"
"Yes!"
Everyone perked up and rushed toward the academy at the fastest speed.
Zhao Wenzhuo moved closer and secretly transmitted a message, "They're starting to suspect me."
Xu Qingfeng remained calm and replied indifferently, "It's normal for them to suspect you, after all, it was your idea to use the corpse tide strategy."
"So what should I do? Should I continue to keep in touch with them?" Zhao Wenzhuo sought advice.
Xu Qingfeng was silent for a long time, then looked at the younger generation beside him and smiled openly, "I appreciate your talent. You don't need to ask me about everything; you can make your own decisions."
Zhao Wenzhuo's eyes flickered. After pondering for a while, he exhaled and nodded, "I understand."
He then added, "Thank you."
...
Before long, everyone returned to the ruins of the academy.
The corpse tide had been diverted, leaving the place deserted.
Xu Qingfeng landed in front of the main gate. The plaque had disappeared, but occasionally a dim yellow light would reveal a faint line of text in the sky: Yunlu Academy.
In ancient times, this place was called Yunlu Academy.
Inside the academy, the sound of young students reading echoed, dreamlike and illusory, as if the voices from back then were still lingering in their ears.
Following the broken gate, they entered and returned to the familiar courtyard.
In the courtyard, the shadows of some scholars walked by slowly; they were all students of the academy.
"The highest good is like water; water benefits all things without contention, dwelling in places loathed by all, thus close to the Dao. Therefore, the City Lord's mansion belongs to water."
"If Yunlu Academy is also a place of inheritance, then what does it belong to?"
Pubfuture Ads
Xu Qingfeng stared at the inscription under the sage's statue, which had words like "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently good," and suddenly had an epiphany.
"I understand now, this place belongs to fire! As long as words exist, civilization does not perish. The physical body may fade, but the spirit endures!"
Xu Qingfeng looked at the disappearing figures, then at the faintly existing inscription, his gaze firm, and stepped forward to touch the inscription with a finger.
"Buzz!"
The sage's statue suddenly emitted a halo, spreading outward.
Xu Hei quickly covered his body with True Qi.
As the halo spread, the rogue cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage were all blown away, spitting blood. Xu Qingfeng shouted, "Protect your body with True Essence!"
In an instant, a protective light shield appeared on the rogue cultivators. Although they were repelled, it blocked most of the force, preventing them from being killed outright.
As for the members of the Chu Tian Alliance, each used their own methods. Even though they hadn't reached the Core Formation Stage, they all managed to withstand the shockwave, including Xu Hei.
Among the rogue cultivators, only one seemingly frail female cultivator remained, not being blown away, clearly hiding her true cultivation level.
"It really is a place of inheritance!"
Xu Hei was quite surprised.
Xu Qingfeng had deduced this conclusion from just a few words and even found a way to activate the inheritance. He indeed had some skills.
He even explained why the City Lord's mansion was the Water Inheritance.
Though Xu Hei didn't understand a word of it.
At this moment, the eyes of the sage's statue came to life. This person was not Mo Wuyou, but also an ancient powerhouse.
"Inheritor, Xu Qingfeng, are you sure you want to activate the place of inheritance?" The sage looked at him.
Xu Qingfeng glanced at everyone, and they all nodded in unison.
Xu Qingfeng solemnly said, "I'm sure!"
"Five Elements Inheritance, Departing Fire, activate!"
As the words fell, everyone felt the surroundings twist, time and space shifting, as if entering an alternate space. This feeling, Xu Hei's incarnation had experienced before, and now it was his true self.
Time was set for a month, but they found the second place of inheritance in less than a day, and everyone was very excited.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
And at this moment.
Xu Hei suddenly sensed something, hurriedly retreated, and exited the range of the halo.
The changing environment immediately stopped, and Xu Hei left the place of inheritance.
Meanwhile, the other members of the Chu Tian Alliance vanished collectively with a flash of light.
Even the sage's statue disappeared.
The remaining four rogue cultivators were all inwardly resentful, hating that they didn't have Core Formation Stage cultivation, watching the inheritance slip away right under their noses.
"Huh? Why did that snake come out?"
"With Xu Qingfeng backing him, why didn't he go in?"
"This is an ancient inheritance!"
The rogue cultivators all had a look of surprise in their eyes, not understanding why Xu Hei gave up such a great opportunity.
Xu Hei didn't care what they thought and left directly.
Five places of inheritance.
The Zhou Family occupied the City Lord's mansion, and the Chu Tian Alliance took over Yunlu Academy.
Xu Hei didn't want to follow others and be a hanger-on. He had reason to suspect that even if he went in, it would be to make a wedding dress for someone else.
Apart from a year's accelerated cultivation, he saw no benefits. Of course, Xu Qingfeng might offer some compensation, but with Xu Hei's personality, would he be content with that?
He, Xu Hei, wanted to find his own place of inheritance.
"The endpoint of the Earth Path seems to be in the eastern direction, let's check around there."
Xu Hei took out an Earth Boat, expanded it to three meters long, and got in, traveling at the fastest speed.
Although the speed of the Earth Boat might not match his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, it saved effort.
...
Water Inheritance Land.
Passerby Ding's body lay on the ground, and Xu Hei's incarnation had long disappeared, erasing all traces.
Tianji Shangren stood nearby, looking puzzled.
"Why did he self-destruct?" Zhou Qingxuan asked.
This was not only his point of confusion; everyone was perplexed. Just now, Xu Hei's external incarnation suddenly self-destructed without any warning.
They hadn't planned to make a move, yet it exploded on its own, for reasons unknown.
"Hmph! This demon is overly cautious and often misses opportunities. It's the path he chose, and he can't blame others." Tianji Shangren shook his head, his eyes showing regret and disdain.
Everything has its fortune. Some people are born with great fortune but fail to seize opportunities. For such people, no matter how strong their fortune, what's the use?
In contrast, Zhou Wendie was much smarter, understanding patience and knowing which choices were most beneficial.
At this moment, Zhou Wendie sat in a pool, continuously absorbing spiritual mist. Water-type Spiritual Qi was excellent for healing. Along the way, she had sustained hundreds of injuries, big and small, with no time to heal, greatly reducing her strength.
This year's rest was very important to her.
"Once I obtain the ancient inheritance, I won't spare anyone who has wronged me!"
Zhou Wendie's heart was resolute.
If she had to name the people she hated the most, there were two.
One was Bai Luo, who nearly got her blown up inside the pyramid. Despite their seemingly amicable cooperation, if given the chance, she would turn against him without hesitation.
The other was that snake! This snake killed the Zhou Family's second ancestor, took her Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, and finally threw out a metal puppet that chased her for over a thousand miles, causing her great suffering.
Though she seemed unmoved on the surface, her inner killing intent was stronger than anyone's.
But thinking about her great chance to obtain the final inheritance, Zhou Wendie's mood improved significantly.
...
Half a day later, Xu Hei arrived at the endpoint of the Earth Path.
This place had been blasted by a Thunder Tribulation Pearl, leaving a massive crater, very conspicuous.
Xu Hei put away the Earth Boat, flashed into a ruin, and attached an Invisibility Talisman.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Several figures descended from the distant sky.
Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw that they were from the Four Sects Alliance.
These people likely had the same idea, suspecting that the five inheritances were related to the Five Elements Land, so they searched for clues at this exit.
However, the main force of the Four Sects Alliance should have split up. The team in front of him had only about twenty people, with only one Core Formation Stage leader.
The group searched the ruins in small clusters, with some observing Historical Projections, trying to trace clues from history.
This was a very smart approach, as Xu Qingfeng had gained inspiration from Historical Projections.
////216///
Xu Hei wasn't too worried about this group of competitors; the only concern was that Core Formation stage cultivator.
He had faced off against Core Formation stage opponents before and knew well how troublesome they could be.
In the Blood Corpse Cave, even with the help of corpse spirits and the opponent falling into a trap, having been heavily injured by Xu Qingfeng, Xu Hei still almost got countered by Zhou Qing despite having the advantage of time, place, and people.
If it weren't for his dumb luck in pulling out a Minor Annihilation Talisman, who knows what might have happened.
Xu Hei dared not be careless.
"Elder Liu, come quickly!"
Suddenly, a shout came from afar.
The Core Formation stage cultivator's expression changed, and he hurriedly followed the sound to the entrance of a tavern.
The tavern was half-collapsed and in ruins, but inside, there were numerous historical projections, with all sorts of people entering, sitting at tables and benches, drinking and talking loudly.
Though the voices were muffled, one could vaguely make out some of the conversations.
"Listen carefully, what are they saying?" a young disciple said excitedly.
"Oh?"
Elder Liu spread out his Divine Sense, carefully capturing each person's conversation.
This man was named Liu Chengfeng, appearing middle-aged, dressed in a long green robe, with a handsome appearance, about the same age as Xuan Yangzi, but with a much higher status.
He was the head of the Pill Hall of the Snake Catchers Sect!
Speaking of which, he was also the Dao companion of the head of the Purple Mist Sect, and no one dared to provoke the Purple Mist Sect precisely because of his backing.
Liu Chengfeng's cultivation wasn't outstanding, but his pill refining skills ranked first in the sect, and all factions sought his help. Even the Grand Elder and the sect head treated him with respect.
He was not content with solitude, which was why he came to explore the ancient relic.
If he didn't want to, the Heavenly Puppet Sect wouldn't force him; such talent in pill refining was rare anywhere.
"Brother, you're too decadent, spending all day either in the birdhouse or drinking. How can that be? Look at me, I'm also well-off, yet I work an hour every day," said a scholarly-looking man at the table.
Opposite him sat a drunken burly man, who cursed, "What do you know? Recently, a new Earth Temple was built in the east of the city, and I've been working overtime every day, so busy that I can't get home until noon, missing lunch. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have quit my job."
Their conversation was full of resentment. If the mortals outside heard it, they'd be furious, calling them ungrateful.
However, Liu Chengfeng caught a keyword: "Earth Temple?"
Xu Hei was eavesdropping from afar and also heard the words "Earth Temple."
But he subconsciously thought it couldn't be such a coincidence that it was the Earth Temple. These historical projections shouldn't be so accurate.
"Missing lunch? No way, the City Lord of Wuyou wouldn't exploit labor like that. Is this Earth Temple really that important?" the scholar frowned, as Wuyou City's labor laws strictly limited work to no more than two and a half hours a day.
"Haha, why would I lie to you? Even the dogs are exhausted, let alone people!" the burly man cursed.
"Exactly! Even the dogs are exhausted; it's inhuman!"
As they talked, a voice chimed in, sounding like a dog's bark.
It was a phantom of a big black dog, speaking human words.
No one was surprised that a dog could talk in these historical projections. Wuyou City's technological level had surpassed that of cultivation sects, with machines replacing much of the manual labor.
There were even mechanical birds that could deliver goods to your door, allowing you to shop from home.
Xu Hei shuddered, focusing his Divine Sense repeatedly to confirm he wasn't mistaken.
"This black dog is..."
Xu Hei's pupils contracted, and his breath caught.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
This phantom of a big black dog looked so much like a certain Huang.
No, wait!
A common dog looks the same, right? What's the difference?
It's just an ancient projection, nothing to be surprised about.
Xu Hei exhaled, dismissing it.
But what happened next was rather bizarre.
The big black dog continued, "I heard the City Lord of Wuyou personally went to the Earth Temple to perform a ritual, leaving something behind, and no one is allowed to approach."
As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Chengfeng jumped up, eyes shining, and immediately killed the shocked young cultivator beside him.
This information was too important; he was almost certain that it was the third inheritance site.
It was likely the Earth inheritance!
But if he left alone, it might arouse suspicion, and he didn't want the inheritance to be shared with others.
"Hmph! I'm the only one at the Core Formation stage here; who can stop me? I'll leave an External Incarnation here to pretend to search while my true self sneaks away to the Earth Temple."
Liu Chengfeng quickly made up his mind.
But just as he was about to gather his External Incarnation with full True Essence.
A pitch-black figure suddenly appeared behind him.
"Hall Master Liu, you suddenly killed to silence someone; did you discover a secret you want to keep to yourself?"
Liu Chengfeng trembled all over and looked back to see an old man with a ghostly aura, thin and smiling, but the smile was eerie and sinister.
Pubfuture Ads
It was the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect!
Liu Chengfeng was startled, cold sweat breaking out on his back, but he quickly regained his composure.
"So it's the Thirteenth Ancestor. I saw this person as a spy trying to leak information to outsiders, so I acted decisively."
Liu Chengfeng lied without blushing or gasping, effortlessly.
The Thirteenth Ancestor didn't press further; everyone knew the truth, and it wouldn't do to speak it aloud.
He had coincidentally come to find Liu Chengfeng to appraise a Longevity Pill to see if it was consumable, and happened to witness this.
But now, with Liu Chengfeng's dubious intentions, he wouldn't bring it out, nor would he trust the appraisal.
Regardless, he would first check out the Earth Temple.
"Let's go!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor acted swiftly, waving his hand and leaving the tavern, heading east of the city.
Liu Chengfeng hesitated for a moment and said, "What about the disciples outside?"
"They're tired and want to sleep."
The Thirteenth Ancestor sneered, flicking twenty small snakes from his sleeve into each disciple's sleeve, causing them to feel dizzy and collapse to the ground within a breath.
Liu Chengfeng's mouth twitched, and he quickly followed the Thirteenth Ancestor.
Shortly after they left, Xu Hei emerged from the ruins.
As soon as the Thirteenth Ancestor arrived, Xu Hei retracted his Divine Sense and concealed himself.
His Invisibility Talisman could hide him from early-stage Core Formation, but he wasn't confident against mid-stage Core Formation.
"The Thirteenth Ancestor is here too; this is troublesome!"
Xu Hei's face was heavy. If the Earth Temple was indeed the Earth Path inheritance, it might be taken by the Snake Catchers Sect, leaving him with nothing.
These two were not easy to deal with, acting ruthlessly and decisively, unwilling to allow any chance of information leaking.
Xu Hei knew his limits; facing these two old foxes, it would be difficult to snatch the treasure from their hands.
Just then, Xu Hei felt a chill in his heart.
The historical projections inside the dilapidated tavern suddenly disappeared.///
////217/
Xu Hei's body suddenly froze.
The random appearances and disappearances of Historical Projections were not unusual, but Xu Hei always felt something was off.
Especially the way that dog spoke—it sounded so familiar!
"Damn it! There's definitely something wrong!"
Xu Hei cursed under his breath, immediately took out the Earth Boat, and burrowed underground, heading east.
He didn't know the exact location of the Earth Temple in the east of the city, but without the corpse puppet, it was easy to find by observing the distribution of buildings.
...
An hour later.
In the eastern district of Wuyou City, at the outskirts, a temple stood at the end of the street. The temple wasn't large, with ancient figures' shadows coming and going, praying inside.
This was the Earth Temple.
Inside the temple, there was a statue of the Earth God, with an incense burner in the middle and a merit box beside it. As a proper city, it also needed to fulfill human beliefs.
At this moment, four cultivators stood in front of the Earth Temple.
Besides the Thirteenth Ancestor and Liu Chengfeng, there were two others, a man and a woman, whom they "coincidentally" met on the way.
"Oh, what a coincidence! Where is Daoist Liu heading?"
"Junior greets the Thirteenth Ancestor!"
The two were Jiang Lang, an inner elder of the Snake Catchers Sect, and Shen Qingzhu, the head of the Purple Mist Sect.
One was at the early Core Formation Stage, the other at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
These two shared a common trait: both had a deep connection with Liu Chengfeng. The former was a close friend within the sect, and the latter was his Dao companion.
Their appearance was extremely coincidental, and though the Thirteenth Ancestor said nothing on the surface, his face darkened.
"Did you call them?" the Thirteenth Ancestor asked coldly.
"No! Absolutely not! Pure coincidence, how could I share such a secret?" Liu Chengfeng defended.
In fact, he truly didn't want to share it.
But he was even less confident about competing with the Thirteenth Ancestor.
The Thirteenth Ancestor absorbed yin energy, turning himself into something neither human nor ghost, looking as if he could go mad at any moment. Cooperating with him was like holding a bomb.
Others might be polite to him, but a madman wouldn't.
Anything could happen in the ancient relic, and even if he died, no one would seek justice for him.
Jiang Lang, at the early Core Formation Stage, was outstanding, and Shen Qingzhu, as the sect leader, had more life-saving methods than a Core Formation cultivator. Having these two with him was like having double insurance.
"Hmph!" The Thirteenth Ancestor snorted coldly, "We're all on the same side, no need to guard against me. I'm just afraid you'll talk too much and attract outsiders!"
He didn't specify who these outsiders were, but everyone knew he meant the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
"Yes, yes."
Liu Chengfeng nodded repeatedly, but inwardly he was disdainful. Not guarding against him would mean being devoured without a trace left.
"By the way, how is this inheritance activated?" the Thirteenth Ancestor muttered to himself.
At this moment, the other three also gathered around, staring at the Earth God statue before them.
The Historical Projections continued, with ancient figures coming and going, burning incense, kneeling, or tossing coins into the merit box.
Their words were all about prayers, with no valuable clues discovered.
The Thirteenth Ancestor pondered for a moment, raised his hand, and pointed at the statue, but there was no response.
"Strange, could we have been mistaken, and this is not the place of inheritance?" the Thirteenth Ancestor frowned.
At the same time, Xu Hei also arrived nearby. To be safe, he put on Zhou Qing's straw hat and stopped at a safe distance, not approaching further.
The group fell silent for a while, then suddenly focused their attention.
They saw a projection of a big black dog approaching from afar, swaggering into the Earth Temple.
The dog took out a square Spirit Stone, tossed it into the merit box, and prayed to the Earth God, "May I be strong and vigorous!"
A flash of light, and the dog's size slightly increased.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
Everyone's eyes lit up, as if they had an epiphany: "I understand, we need to put coins into the merit box!"
Almost as soon as they realized, the Thirteenth Ancestor acted.
He decisively took out a top-grade Spirit Stone and threw it into the ancient merit box. Once inside, it disappeared instantly, undetectable even by Divine Sense.
The Earth God statue before them lit up with a faint white glow.
"There's definitely something here!"
His eyes shone brightly.
However, the white glow of the Earth God vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Without hesitation, the Thirteenth Ancestor took out three more top-grade Spirit Stones and tossed them into the merit box. The others also took out Spirit Stones or Pills, trying their luck by throwing them into the merit box.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."
The Earth God statue began to flicker with light, flashing brightly. As long as something with Spiritual Qi was placed inside, it would flash.
"Ah, this..." Xu Hei watched in a daze from afar.
What was going on? Why were they giving away treasures?
He remembered Zhou Wendie used a drop of blood from her fingertip to activate the inheritance, and Xu Qingfeng had a similar experience.
But this scene, combined with the dog's suggestive words...
Xu Hei instantly understood, this was a trap!
Could it really be like this?
At this moment, the black dog's projection sighed, "I still gave too little, just a slight enhancement, it's not enough."
With these words, the Thirteenth Ancestor seemed to be driven mad.
The Historical Projection was clearly hinting: the Spirit Stones given were insufficient, too few to activate the inheritance!
They needed to increase the amount!
He even suspected that the main inheritor would be determined by who gave the most, who was the most pleasing.
They had long heard that the Five Elements Inheritance had primary and secondary roles. For example, in the Zhou Family, Zhou Wendie was the main, and the Core Formation recruits were just helpers.
"Hmph, don't think you can compete with me!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor directly took out a large handful of top-grade Spirit Stones, stuffing them into the merit box like a string of firecrackers, putting in about fifty, using up most of his wealth.
The Earth God shone with a dazzling golden light, as brilliant as the sun.
Liu Chengfeng had been hesitant, but seeing the Thirteenth Ancestor's madness, continuously throwing in Spirit Stones, he felt that not doing so would make him seem out of place, missing a great opportunity.
"What treasures do you have! Don't hold back, bring them all out!"
Liu Chengfeng became anxious, shouting to his companions.
Thus, another series of Spirit Stones and treasures were thrown in, and Liu Chengfeng himself took out a large number of Pills.
He cursed the Thirteenth Ancestor inwardly, but his actions were honest, both sides competing madly.
"Boundless merit, countless fortunes, perfect merit, enlightenment of the Dao."
A phantom voice echoed from history, the statue under the shroud of merit appeared sacred and solemn, compelling worship, urging everyone to give more fervently.
After exhausting their Spirit Stones, both sides began to offer Spirit Medicines and Magical Treasures, which the Earth God accepted without hesitation, taking whatever was given, the merit box seemingly a bottomless pit, never satisfied.
In the end, not only did Liu Chengfeng feel something was amiss, but even the Thirteenth Ancestor hesitated.
At this rate, when would it end? He was nearly bankrupt!
Yet, the more they gave, the brighter the Earth God shone, clearly indicating that they needed to keep giving until a certain limit was reached.
Finally, Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth and took out a shiny crystal.
"What is that?"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's face showed greed, and he quickly tried to snatch it.
Fortunately, Liu Chengfeng was prepared, with the help of his two companions, blocking the attack and swiftly tossing the crystal into the merit box.
He didn't know what it was either, having found it in a mechanical box.
But the concentration of Spiritual Qi inside was many times that of a top-grade Spirit Stone! It must be of great use!
"Buzz!!"
In an instant, golden light burst forth, and the Earth God seemed to come alive, his eyes full of vitality.
Everyone stopped their actions, filled with shock, staring in awe.
"Yes! This is it, the inheritance is about to activate, it's going to be mine!"
Seeing this, Liu Chengfeng trembled with excitement.
Xu Hei also recalled the moment the inheritance was activated, the statue's eyes coming alive, identical to what he saw now, even he was almost convinced.
///218///
Humans have this kind of mentality.
Once you invest money and get a step closer to your goal, you'll keep investing. With sunk costs, you won't give up halfway, even losing your rationality and numbing yourself.
These human cultivators perfectly embody the gambler's mindset.
Mortals do it for money, cultivators for opportunities and fortunes; essentially, there's no difference.
So much so that at this moment, they all firmly believe they are right.
They've given so many treasures, nearly exhausted their Spirit Stones, and can't accept failure.
At this moment, the Earth God's gaze swept over the crowd, and he said loudly, "Thank you all for your gifts. May you all achieve perfect merit and have your wishes come true. Farewell!"
His gaze dimmed and he turned back into an ordinary Earth God statue.
In an instant, the scene froze for a long time.
The imagined place of inheritance did not appear.
Everyone stared at each other, their minds buzzing, unable to think, as if they were dumbfounded.
"Did I... hear wrong?"
The Thirteenth Ancestor couldn't believe it.
"No way."
Liu Chengfeng also didn't believe it, suspecting that a step was missing.
The four present were convinced that their choice was correct, that this was how the place of inheritance was opened.
"Earth God, where is my inheritance?" The Thirteenth Ancestor tried to suppress his anger, keeping his voice low.
"Inheritance?"
The Earth God opened his eyes again, a lump of dog feces appeared in his hand, and he flung it onto the Thirteenth Ancestor's face.
ज़िंदगी भर पीठ और जोड़ों का दर्द रहेगा दूर, अगर ये अपनाएंगे ये विधि
Fixit
Ads by Pubfuture
"This is the inheritance of the earth, the breath of the land. Please comprehend it well, don't waste such a great fortune." The Earth God's voice carried a hint of laughter.
The entire scene fell into a dead silence.
The statue had actually thrown a lump of dog feces onto the Thirteenth Ancestor's face! Such an absurd scene left the Thirteenth Ancestor stunned.
Xu Hei's mouth twitched slightly; he already understood who this Earth God was.
It was the Mountain God from the Mountain God Temple, carved from the same mold!
As for the Mountain God... who else could it be?
"Too dark, never seen anything so dark! This is pure fraud!"
"This group of people was scammed out of everything, they're probably going to be furious."
Xu Hei internally mocked, no wonder he found it familiar, so that's how it was.
Suddenly, a chill ran through his heart as he sensed something off about the Thirteenth Ancestor's mental state. He quickly retreated, ready to dodge at any moment.
At this moment, the Thirteenth Ancestor was silent for a long time before his eyes regained their luster. Without a word, he reached out his withered hand, wiped the lump of earth's breath off his face.
Then, he glanced at the black dog sitting on the prayer mat and the many worshippers burning incense.
"Historical Projections?" The Thirteenth Ancestor's cold voice rang out.
These so-called historical projections all stopped their actions and looked over in unison.
Such a bizarre scene would usually send chills down one's spine.
But at this moment, the Thirteenth Ancestor's face gradually twisted, his chest heaving, initially slowly, but increasingly violently. An uncontrollable, overwhelming killing intent began to spread from his heart, like a volcano about to erupt.
Liu Chengfeng, initially furious at being deceived, couldn't help but take two steps back after seeing the Thirteenth Ancestor's condition.
"Fuck, turns out it's a scam! I can still be rational, but this Thirteenth Ancestor is probably going to go crazy, better smash that statue!"
Liu Chengfeng's eyes flickered; he was also angry, but more so apprehensive.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
The other party could create historical projections to deceive; how could this be something ordinary people could do? Liu Chengfeng asked himself, he couldn't afford to provoke such an existence.
Moreover, as a young pill refiner, as long as he focused on making money, he could naturally make up for the loss over time.
But the Thirteenth Ancestor was different; that was his life's savings, his last opportunity in this life.
Gone, truly gone!
Who understands the pain of losing everything?
"You all go to hell! Go to hell! Go to hell!!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor was utterly enraged, his arm suddenly shot out, extending dozens of meters, transforming into a giant python, opening its mouth to bite the statue, swallowing it whole.
From within his body, countless venomous liquids shot out, corroding all the historical projections, turning the area into a sea of poison.
But the big black dog alone kept dodging, barking incessantly.
Even its illusory figure was gradually becoming solid.
"So it was you!!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor suddenly realized, this damn thing wasn't a historical projection, this black dog was real.
"You little beast, I'm going to skin you alive, gnaw your bones clean, and turn your soul into an oil lamp to burn for a thousand years!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's face twisted with rage as he flew up to grab it, looking like a fierce ghost, shrieking sharply.
Liu Chengfeng and the other two quickly retreated, planning to leave first, but their backs suddenly hit an invisible barrier, bouncing them back.
"What?"
The three turned to look, only to see that within a five-hundred-meter radius of the Earth Temple, there seemed to be an invisible wall isolating the area.
"Formation?" Jiang Lang exclaimed.
He was deeply versed in formations and quickly saw that waves of Spiritual Qi were surging from the merit box, drilling deep underground.
डायबिटीज़ रोगियों की नई पसंद – हर्बल कैप्सूल
Insulux Diabetic
Vaguely, these Spiritual Qi formed a massive formation base, encompassing the area.
At this point, how could he not understand!
The Spirit Stones and treasures they threw in earlier were all used to set up the formation.
"You old coot, not caring for animals, you'll get your retribution!"
The black dog shouted as it fled, its speed fast and movements agile, playing the Thirteenth Ancestor like a fool in such a small area, always evading capture.
Finally, the Thirteenth Ancestor launched an all-encompassing attack, hundreds of snakes shot out from his body, surrounding the black dog from all sides, finally capturing it.
"Help! Murder!"
The big black dog, entangled by the snakes, wailed loudly, shouting to the outside, "Little Xu, don't just watch! This is your relative, quickly persuade him!"
Xu Hei's face turned dark.
Relative, you have the nerve to say that?
Damn it, don't call me when you cause trouble! I'm just passing by!
The Thirteenth Ancestor also looked outside, but just as he turned his head, a thunderbolt crashed down from above, striking his forehead.
"Boom!!!"
Black light exploded, and the Thirteenth Ancestor's skull shattered like a watermelon, but no blood spurted out, only eerie ghostly energy spread.
"Boom!!"
Another black thunderbolt fell, striking his headless body, knocking him to the ground.
This divine thunder from the heavens was different from ordinary lightning; it was Yin Thunder, condensed from intense Yin Sha Qi, possessing the same world-destroying power.
Nine Nether Yin Thunder Formation!
This formation was costly, requiring a large number of Spirit Stones to set up, with the merit box as the formation's core.
"Ow!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor let out a hideous roar, his broken body stood up, still moving.
Constantly, black energy emerged from his broken body, and the snakes emanating from his body immediately turned into skeletal forms, yet this body that should have long been dead continued to move.
"Quick! Hurry!"
Liu Chengfeng was scared out of his wits, urgently urging Jiang Lang to break the formation.
He also took out various magical treasures to attack.
////219////
Liu Chengfeng was extremely furious, and the other two were also seething with rage, having been deceived, wishing they could skin that black dog alive.
But they knew now was not the time for revenge.
"You little beast, do you really think you can kill me? Today, I'll swallow you whole!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's divine sense continued to echo, and his headless corpse rose, countless small snakes shooting out from his neck, only to be struck down by thunder once more.
The deafening roar split the air, striking the Thirteenth Ancestor with black smoke, and the ground cracked open into a hundred-zhang deep pit, blasting him into the earth.
Hei Huang's face twisted with pain; these Yin Thunderbolts were not cheap, each attack consuming top-grade spirit stones, it was like burning money!
It was only because this group generously contributed over a hundred top-grade spirit stones that he dared to be so extravagant.
"Jie jie jie jie jie! You can't kill me!"
A sinister laugh echoed from underground, the Thirteenth Ancestor emerged like a vengeful spirit, his broken body writhing like a snake, swift as lightning, rising again, a terrifying devouring force emanating from where his head should be, aimed at the black dog.
But the next second, Yin Thunder fell again, blasting him back underground.
Continuously, up and down, the laughter grew sharper, like a ghostly wail.
"Mad, the Thirteenth Ancestor is truly mad!"
Liu Chengfeng watched, his mouth dry.
"And that black dog, it's also a most evil creature, the two demons are fighting, it's best if they both die here!"
Liu Chengfeng felt a chill in his heart, pulling out a row of black steel nails, striking them at the formation, the nails shooting out continuously, each attack at the same small point.
The other two also used their own methods, attacking the same spot.
Under the full assault of the three, the formation finally showed a tiny hole, only the size of a sesame seed. Jiang Lang released a Thunder Pearl, which exploded at the breach, rapidly expanding it, cracks spreading.
What are you doing? Hurry up and help!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's cold voice echoed from underground.
No one looked back, only thinking of escaping with their lives.
"Escape? What is there to escape from? This beast is merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, and it has scared you all? Let's join forces and destroy it, eat black dog meat! Drink black dog blood!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's ghostly laughter continued.
Liu Chengfeng ignored him, not listening to a word from this madman.
Shen Qingzhu looked back, only to see the Thirteenth Ancestor had turned into a shriveled snake-like creature, his limbs shattered by thunder, his head exploded.
But his torso still moved, black flesh churning, sprouting tumors like hellish creatures, sending chills down one's spine.
Even his mind was somewhat deranged, sometimes laughing maniacally, sometimes roaring, each time he rose into the air, he was struck back by a bolt of Yin Thunder.
Taking advantage of the entanglement between the two sides, the three of them broke open the gap, about to escape, completely ignoring whether the Thirteenth Ancestor lived or died.
Hei Huang was a bit anxious, transmitting to Xu Hei: "Don't just stand there, come help, we'll split the spoils fifty-fifty!"
Xu Hei cursed the old dog in his heart for being unreliable, always leaving him to clean up the mess.
But he didn't need to be told; Xu Hei knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He had already moved ahead, arriving at the breach in the formation, wearing Zhou Qing's straw hat, no one could detect his presence.
At this moment, the breach in the formation was large enough.
Liu Chengfeng threw out a flying sword, shooting it outside the hole, using it as a bridge to perform a transfer technique, allowing himself to appear on the flying sword, thus escaping the formation.
Jiang Lang was more straightforward, directly sticking his head out, his body shrinking into a long shape. This was the Bone Shrinking Escape Technique, allowing him to squeeze through even the smallest openings.
Ads by Pubfuture
Pubfuture Ads
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a massive shadow appeared abruptly in front of him.
Carrying a fierce impact, it came crashing towards his forehead without warning.
It was the tip of the Black Dragon Pagoda!
"Not good!" Jiang Lang's face changed dramatically, trying to retract himself.
"Thud!!"
The tip struck, and Jiang Lang's head was smashed into a large hole, blood spurting out, the light of his defensive magical treasures shattering one by one, his true essence dissipating.
Jiang Lang let out a miserable cry, flying backward, landing on the ground, his body convulsing continuously.
"Brother Jiang!"
Liu Chengfeng's face changed drastically, looking back, his flying sword had disappeared, swallowed by the Black Dragon Pagoda.
Outside, there was no one, only a man-high tower standing.
Shen Qingzhu's face was pale, completely bewildered.
Xu Hei did not show himself, staying underground, controlling the Black Dragon Pagoda, smashing anyone who came out, a single snake blocking the way, none could pass.
Under normal circumstances, a Core Formation stage cultivator would not be so easily hit, but as long as Xu Hei guarded this pass, anyone who came would be struck, a hundred hits, a hundred successes.
"Damn it! This beast has accomplices!"
Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth in hatred.
Shameless, too shameless!
Inside, two demons were fighting, and outside, some unknown thing was blocking the exit. They had been swindled of their possessions, and now they were being hunted to the end. He had never seen such despicable tactics in his life!
Liu Chengfeng took out a handful of black steel nails, flinging them out, shooting towards the Black Dragon Pagoda, hitting its surface with a clinking sound, but the tower remained undamaged.
Xu Hei ignored it, contemplating whether to throw some dirty tricks inside.
Suddenly, the steel nails seemed to find his hiding place, shooting downward!
These nails were Soul Chasing Nails, capable of locking onto their target's position through the divine sense imprint on a magical treasure.
As long as they caught a trace of the target's divine sense, they could chase them to the ends of the earth.
However, Xu Hei's straw hat was not to be underestimated, allowing his aura to be elusive, sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes left, sometimes right, making it difficult for the Soul Chasing Nails to fully lock on.
"Thud thud thud thud thud..."
Most of the Soul Chasing Nails brushed past Xu Hei, with some shooting directly at him. Xu Hei willed the dragon scales to form a shield in front, blocking all the nails.
Taking this opportunity, Shen Qingzhu had already squeezed half of her body out.
"Trying to escape?"
Xu Hei multitasked, the Black Dragon Pagoda struck again, pushing Shen Qingzhu back, but this time, she was prepared, summoning a lotus platform to block in front, with strong force-dissipating capabilities, but she underestimated the strength of the Black Dragon Pagoda.
"Boom!!"
The lotus platform shattered, Shen Qingzhu spat blood, her arms turned to nothingness. Her cultivation was a level weaker, no matter how she urged her magical treasures, they couldn't exert their full power.
With just one strike, she was worse off than Jiang Lang, her body bursting with blood, her meridians severed, flying back, landing beside Jiang Lang. Fortunately, she had the jade pendant from the first ancestor of the Purple Mist Sect protecting her heart, otherwise, she would have died!
But at this moment, an unexpected change occurred!
The Soul Chasing Nails that had just been shot out rapidly gathered together, forming the shape of a flying sword.
"What!"
Xu Hei's face changed slightly, seeing Liu Chengfeng forming a hand seal, his figure instantly disappearing within the formation.
The next second, he appeared on the flying sword.
Just now, while Xu Hei was attacking his Dao companion and blocking the Soul Chasing Nails, he used this diversion tactic to complete the transfer.
The Soul Chasing Nails he released were not meant to attack the opponent, but to form a flying sword to perform his transfer technique.
///220////
The timing was incredibly precise.
As Liu Chengfeng appeared, he didn't waste any words and pulled out a giant gourd, pointing it at the ground where Xu Hei was hiding.
"Boom!!"
The gourd unleashed a powerful suction, causing the earth to crack open. Countless clumps of soil and stones were sucked into the gourd, revealing Xu Hei's hidden figure.
It was a large black snake, wearing a straw hat on its head, completely concealing its aura, making it impossible to discern its cultivation level.
Liu Chengfeng was about to make another move, but when he saw the straw hat on Xu Hei's head, his pupils suddenly contracted.
"That straw hat is..."
His scalp tingled, and his mind buzzed, as a memory of a figure wearing a straw hat flashed through his mind.
It was the Zhou Family's ancestor, Zhou Qing's straw hat.
This was the strange snake that killed Zhou Qing!
In an instant, Liu Chengfeng's hair stood on end, an indescribable fear rushing straight to his head!
Run! I must run!
Without hesitation, he summoned various magical treasures to shield himself, switching from offense to defense, and stepped onto his flying sword to flee.
The reputation of this snake had long spread within the Four Sects Alliance. If encountered, one must not act rashly and should immediately report to the higher-ups, namely the Thirteenth Ancestor!
Ironically, even the Thirteenth Ancestor couldn't protect himself.
Zhou Qing and Lei He both suffered greatly at the hands of this snake, with Zhou Qing even turned into a tree. Damn it, who would dare provoke it?
As for Shen Qingzhu and Jiang Lang, he didn't even spare them a glance. How could others' lives be more important than his own?
"Brother Jiang, Qingzhu, I'm sorry. I will avenge you in the future! I'll cut this snake and dog into a thousand pieces!"
Liu Chengfeng was filled with grief and indignation, and it wasn't just an act; he was genuinely heartbroken.
One was his close friend, the other his Dao companion, but reality was harsh. If he didn't run, none of them would escape. Those who are indecisive don't last long.
This scene left Xu Hei momentarily stunned.
He thought it would be a fierce battle, but the opponent got scared and ran away? Without even probing?
Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he made a decisive decision.
—Chase!
"Whoosh!"
A streak of light shot across the sky, with Xu Hei fully unleashing his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, chasing rapidly like a meteor, startling Liu Chengfeng with his speed.
This was definitely the speed of the Core Formation Stage!
For some reason, after Hei Huang appeared, Xu Hei's courage inexplicably grew, daring to intercept even a Core Formation Stage cultivator trying to escape.
In the past, this would have been unthinkable.
At this moment, Xu Hei's throat swelled, black True Qi compressed to a point, with thunderous energy surging in his abdomen, dragon bones vibrating, and all his bones humming with a terrifying aura about to erupt.
Liu Chengfeng's face changed dramatically, and his speed soared again.
The next moment—
"Dragon Shatter Roar!!!"
A thunderous dragon roar erupted from Xu Hei's mouth, shaking the heavens and earth, causing a vacuum channel to form through the Yin Sha Qi, blasting towards the fleeing Liu Chengfeng.
This was Xu Hei's newly comprehended dragon clan ultimate skill, Dragon Shatter Roar!
Unlike traditional sonic spells, this move wasn't an indiscriminate area attack but a targeted lock-on technique!
Its power naturally skyrocketed!
Of course, Xu Hei's current Dragon Shatter Roar was only at the first level, the stage of shattering form, capable of attacking physical forms but unable to harm souls. Xu Hei also wanted to test its effectiveness in actual combat!
"Bang!!"
Liu Chengfeng had just escaped a thousand feet away when he was struck by the sound wave, as if hit by lightning, shattering countless magical treasures' lights.
He pulled out a treasure umbrella to block, but it shattered as well, his form trembling violently, blood gushing out, and even his physical body on the verge of collapse, plummeting to the ground.
"What kind of spell is this!"
Liu Chengfeng's mind was in turmoil, his head buzzing incessantly, his consciousness momentarily blurred.
As a pill refiner, he focused solely on the Dao of Pills and was not adept at combat, making him relatively weak among those of the same realm.
It was only because he had numerous life-saving means that he dared to seek opportunities in the ruins. But earlier in the Earth Temple, he had sacrificed half of his magical treasures, leaving him with few trump cards.
However, Xu Hei's cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Dragon Shatter Roar was a spell that could only be performed at the Core Formation Stage, requiring the dragon bones to be fully developed. At this moment, it was forcibly used by Xu Hei.
Although its power far exceeded the Foundation Establishment level, it was still too much to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator.
Liu Chengfeng's thoughts were only fragmented for a moment before he regained clarity, the Soul Chasing Nails close to his back, lifting him high and speeding forward.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the distance.
Xu Hei sighed, not continuing the pursuit. Just using the Dragon Shatter Roar once caused his entire skeleton to tremble violently, with all bones except the dragon bones showing slight cracks.
Killing a thousand enemies, losing eight hundred of his own!
However, the power was indeed extraordinary, capable of causing a Core Formation Stage heavily protected by magical treasures to fall into a mental halt.
In a battle between experts, even a brief pause could be fatal!
If only Xu Hei had someone to coordinate with, such a sneak attack would have been incredibly effective.
Xu Hei didn't expect to kill a Core Formation cultivator, but through this brief encounter, he realized that the gap between him and the Core Formation Stage wasn't as vast as he had imagined. With the right timing, location, and people, along with some special means and environments, it might not be impossible to surpass his level and win.
This gave him immense confidence.
At this moment, Ji Ying was holding a storage bag, landing nearby.
This was stolen during Liu Chengfeng's moment of distraction.
"You finally did something right!" Xu Hei praised.
Ji Ying, however, felt like Xu Hei was scolding it, emitting a buzzing sound as if expressing dissatisfaction.
"Boom!!!"
"Boom boom boom boom boom..."
Within the formation, the sky continued to be bombarded by Yin Thunder, with Yin Thunder also erupting from underground, creating an apocalyptic scene.
Yin Thunder from the sky and Yin Thunder from the earth combined, blasting the Thirteenth Ancestor's form to pieces, leaving him unrecognizable, not even in snake form, with only a skeleton remaining.
Yet he continued to laugh maniacally, black gas emerging from his bones, transforming into small snakes slithering nearby.
Jiang Lang was caught by a wave of earth Yin Thunder, instantly blasted to smithereens. Hei Huang, realizing this person was adept at formations, decided not to leave him any chance of survival.
On the other hand, the Purple Mist Sect's leader, Shen Qingzhu, was still alive, but seeing the black tower standing outside, she dared not escape.
She tried using the Small Teleportation Talisman, but within the formation, even space was sealed.
"What to do? What to do?"
Shen Qingzhu was in despair.
"Hehehehe, I am immortal, immortal!"
The Thirteenth Ancestor's eerie laughter echoed, but as the final thunderbolt struck, even his bone fragments were shattered, his voice abruptly cut off, his form completely destroyed, leaving only the swirling black gas.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Countless black gas streams surged out, crashing in all directions.
One of the black gas streams transformed into a black light, darting into Shen Qingzhu's forehead, causing her eyes to immediately become vacant.
In just a moment, a wisp of black light appeared in her eyes.
"Liu Chengfeng's Dao companion, hehe, this physical body isn't bad, huh? Why does this woman have Jiang Lang's aura inside her?"
Shen Qingzhu voiced her confusion, her physical body rapidly contracting, transforming into a snake-like elongated form.
The next moment, Shen Qingzhu shot up from the ground, instantly breaking through the formation's gap, moving with unprecedented speed.
As she left the formation's range, she activated the Small Teleportation Talisman, her figure flickering and disappearing without a trace.