In the year of great famine, people resorted to cannibalism.
Yet, in the ancient times within the famine-stricken Wuyou City, a strange scene unfolded.
Many had starved to death indoors, but no one scavenged the bodies for food, nor did anyone break into others' homes to steal grain.
In the outside world, no one could explain this phenomenon.
But in Wuyou City, where doors were left unlocked and nothing was picked up from the roads, this was quite ordinary.
When people are accustomed to kindness, no one commits evil.
Whenever an evil thought arose, seeing Xu Hei's busy figure, they would silently retract their intentions.
Xu Hei returned home after a day of hard work.
For years, he had been hunting outside. Initially, he could catch wild boars and deer, but later, only mice, weeds, and wild vegetables were left.
Now, even wild vegetables were gone, and tree roots had been eaten up.
Xu Hei had long practiced inedia and could survive without eating or drinking, but due to the plague, his True Qi was depleted, and he was gravely ill, almost like a mortal.
Not eating would also lead to hunger.
"Father, Mother, I found a sweet potato. Let's make some porridge."
Xu Hei took out a sweet potato, chopped it up, put it in a pot, added some rotten grass grains, and cooked a big pot of porridge.
"Child, you eat. Mother is not hungry!" Xu's mother said weakly from the bed.
Xu Daniu was also beside her, eyes closed.
"Your father isn't hungry either, eat up." Xu's mother smiled kindly.
Xu Hei seemed to sense something, his body stiffened, and he quickly moved closer.
Xu Daniu lay on the bed, his breath faint.
Xu's mother still had her eyes open, but they were losing focus.
"Father, Mother!" Xu Hei called out anxiously.
But neither could respond anymore.
He quickly filled a bowl with porridge and brought it to his parents, but they just turned their heads away, unwilling to take a bite.
Tears streamed down Xu Hei's face.
How could he not understand? His parents were clearly refusing to eat, hoping to leave more for him, so he could have a bit more.
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Xu Hei was the hope of the family.
They would rather starve to death than let their child suffer from cold and hunger!
If there is kindness in the world, then parents are the greatest embodiment of it!
Xu Hei knelt on the ground, constantly begging them to take a bite of porridge, but the two remained unmoved.
It was too little, a rotten sweet potato couldn't sustain them for long.
"Father, Mother, the City Lord said it will rain soon, and there will be food. Hold on for these two days, we can all survive!" Xu Hei shouted urgently.
Still, there was no response from his parents.
"Hiss!"
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the corner.
Xu Hei was startled and turned to look.
A large, emaciated black snake, skin and bones, crawled out from somewhere.
Xu Hei recognized this snake; it was the big black snake he had raised years ago.
Later, the big black snake regrew its fangs, its bones hardened, and it gained the ability to hunt. During the famine, Xu Hei couldn't afford to feed it, so he released it back into the mountains and hadn't seen it since.
Now, the big black snake had emerged, its green vertical pupils staring intently at the family of three.
"Are you going to eat me?"
Xu Hei's heart tightened, and he cautiously picked up a stick.
If this big black snake attacked him, even if Xu Hei could kill it, a bite from its venomous fangs would likely be fatal.
Xu Hei didn't believe the snake would still recognize him as its master after three years in the wild, especially since snakes are the coldest of creatures.
However, the expected attack did not occur.
The big black snake brought over a squirrel in its mouth and then silently slithered away.
Xu Hei was stunned for a long while, then exclaimed with joy, "Great, there's food!"
For several days thereafter.
Strange food appeared in the house, sometimes insects, sometimes mice, or wild vegetables.
But the rain never came.
Food was limited, and there would come a day when it ran out. It had been a week without any food appearing.
That day, Xu Hei returned empty-handed once again, but from afar, he smelled the aroma of meat coming from home.
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"What is that smell?" Xu Hei hurriedly ran back home.
On the stove, a large, emaciated snake lay quietly in the pot, the fire burning brightly.
The aroma of snake meat wafted from the pot.
Xu Hei stood as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.
...
Wuyou City, City Lord's mansion.
Xu Hei stood at the entrance, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes tightly.
After a long time, when he opened his eyes, a resolute gleam flashed within them.
"Boom!!!"
The dilapidated door was kicked open, and Xu Hei stepped inside the mansion.
In his palm, a blood-red aura continuously gathered and compressed.
This was not True Qi; his True Qi had long been exhausted.
This was his vital energy!
As the vital energy compressed, Xu Hei's body visibly shrank, becoming skin and bones, his physical body decaying, and his vital energy waning.
Years of honing had forged Xu Hei's current mental will, keeping him from collapsing!
"City Lord of Wuyou, get out here!"
Xu Hei roared furiously, the vital energy in his palm compressing and accumulating, gradually turning black.
Even the space around him began to distort!
"Shouting and yelling, what kind of conduct is this?"
A voice came from ahead, and a pitch-black middle-aged figure appeared before Xu Hei, none other than Mo Wuyou.
"Hmm?"
When he saw the black spot in Xu Hei's palm, his pupils slightly contracted, and his figure halted.
"The famine, the plague, was it all your doing?"
Xu Hei's gaze locked onto him, gritting his teeth, "I don't care what you're up to, Wuyou City, including everyone here, is not your stepping stone!"
At his level, he was no longer naive and had vaguely sensed some truths.
Mo Wuyou raised an eyebrow, sneering, "So you're standing here, what do you want?"
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"I want justice!" Xu Hei shouted coldly.
"Justice?" Mo Wuyou was taken aback, then burst into laughter.
He pointed to the distant houses, to the starving masses, and said, "For these ants, you want justice? Have you forgotten who you are?"
As soon as he finished speaking.
Suddenly, Xu Hei's heart trembled violently.
In a daze, he felt chaotic memories flooding into his mind.
They were fragments from when he transformed and charged into the enemy ranks, performing the Dragon Shatter Roar, and self-destructing.
More and more memories, using his transformation as an anchor, poured into Xu Hei's mind.
Xu Hei's body shook violently, and due to the merging of two sets of memories, his body trembled.
"I, am I... not human? Am I... Xu Hei? Those two, aren't my parents?" Xu Hei lowered his head, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Hahaha!" Mo Wuyou laughed up at the sky, "Figured it out? You're not human, you're a snake, the coldest creature in the world. Would you seek justice for a bunch of mortals?"
"Don't you find it ridiculous?"
Mo Wuyou laughed wildly.
But gradually, as he laughed, his laughter stopped.
He composed his expression, looking at Xu Hei before him, suddenly feeling a chill in his heart.
At this moment, Xu Hei raised his head, staring coldly at him. The previous confusion and memory chaos seemed to have vanished in an instant.
His gaze remained icy, transforming into vertical pupils, the eyes of a snake.
But within those vertical pupils, a sharp glint shone, dazzling amidst the coldness.
"Do you find this amusing?"
Xu Hei's gaze fixed tightly, that sharp light growing ever brighter.
"You're right, I'm a snake, born in darkness, a killer without mercy, cold-blooded and ruthless. But what does that have to do with me seeking justice?"
"Today, I'll personally take you down!"
Xu Hei's palm pressed forward fiercely.
The black speck, with Xu Hei's action, grew deeper, causing the surrounding space to twist entirely.
Xu Hei knew he was not a match for this person, but there was no reason, only the spirit in his heart!
He never considered himself righteous.
But he knew gratitude, knew protection.
This was Xu Hei's path!
Mo Wuyou's face changed drastically.
"You've lost, extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon!"
From within the mansion, a voice echoed, it was the voice of the City Lord.
....252...
In the City Lord's mansion, a figure identical to Mo Wuyou emerged.
His eyes were clear, his voice calm, and his demeanor gentle, completely different from the demonic aura of Mo Wuyou.
"Everyone in Wuyou City is my people. Their thoughts are my thoughts! As long as one of them loses their humanity, I will fall into darkness, never to return!"
"Your idea is commendable, but unfortunately, you have failed!"
"For three years, no one has resorted to cannibalism, and no one has killed each other."
"You have lost!"
Gongshu Wuyou's voice was firm as he waved his hand.
A golden light descended from the heavens, accompanied by the vast and boundless might of the Dao, suddenly enveloping the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.
Compared to this might of the Dao, the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon was like an ant trying to shake a tree. The demonic aura vanished like snow meeting boiling oil. Its body crumbled instantly under a black speck of dust cast by Xu Hei.
This was not dust; this was the Dao!
The face of the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon gradually turned fearful, emitting a sharp, piercing scream.
"This is impossible! No!!!"
Within the might of the Dao, the form of the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon gradually blurred, as if vaporized. The demonic aura disappeared, and its body vanished as well.
Ultimately, it turned into a wisp of black light.
Gongshu Wuyou took out a mirror, pointed with his hand, and the wisp of black light flew into the mirror, transforming into the Heart-Mirror within the pyramid.
At that moment!
All negative influences vanished.
Disaster ceased to exist.
"Whoosh!"
Heavenly rain descended, and Spiritual Qi was revived.
Wuyou City experienced a long-awaited downpour.
Plants grew wildly, bringing new vitality.
The plague among cultivators naturally lifted, True Qi surged into their bodies, and the cultivators in the city were overjoyed.
Everyone, without exception, immediately sprang into action, rushing to the homes of mortals, going door to door.
They did not sit down to meditate and restore their cultivation but instead rushed to save people at the first opportunity!
This was the order of Wuyou City!
In times of disaster, good intentions were hidden, but when peace returned, everything would revive.
Lives were saved one by one, and those on the brink of death awoke under treatment.
Some healers collapsed on the front lines, and some cultivators permanently lost their cultivation, but they had no regrets.
Xu Hei's gaze swept over Wuyou City, witnessing everything within the city, his eyes filled with awe.
At this moment, he finally understood.
The people of Wuyou City were the anchor points of the City Lord's Dao heart. As long as these anchor points did not fall into darkness, the City Lord would not either.
Once an anchor point had issues, the City Lord would also be doomed.
Xu Hei also had his own anchor point, which was that big black snake.
He gave up comfort, endured daily beatings, and practiced the Diamond Suppression Technique, causing the big black snake to grow stronger, regain its wild nature, and develop venomous fangs.
He learned gratitude, and the big black snake followed suit, knowing to repay kindness.
"Are these scenes real or fake?" Xu Hei couldn't help but ask.
By now, he had recovered all his memories.
He had entered this world after receiving an inheritance.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a dream, an illusion, but it was too real for Xu Hei to distinguish.
"Both real and fake," Gongshu Wuyou said.
Xu Hei looked at him in confusion.
"In true history, Wuyou City was destroyed, I was invaded by the Inner Demon, and everyone turned into madmen."
Gongshu Wuyou paused, then solemnly said, "But you changed history."
Changed history... Xu Hei was initially stunned, feeling utterly confused.
History is something that has already happened; how could it be changed?
"Some outcomes are already destined and cannot be changed, but some things can still be salvaged!"
"When you return to reality, you will understand."
Gongshu Wuyou said slowly.
...
Xu Hei returned home, and his parents had recovered after treatment.
However, the big snake could never rise again.
It had grown venomous fangs and had a sturdy skeleton, but it was not used for killing or hunting, nor did it have a cruel instinct. Instead, it was used to repay kindness and to carry out Xu Hei's Dao intentions.
Xu Hei buried it.
Afterward, the family had dinner together.
"Father, Mother, I have to go. I am leaving Wuyou City, going to a far, far place," Xu Hei said.
Faced with Xu Hei's farewell, his parents did not try to stop him.
Xu Daniu patted Xu Hei's shoulder and said, "Your father is uneducated, doesn't know what to say, take care!"
Xu's mother said, "Don't fight with people outside, and if you feel wronged, come home."
Xu Hei's nose tingled, and he nodded heavily.
Even though he knew that Father and Mother might be fictional, an illusion, he couldn't help but shed tears.
Why was this?
Xu Hei didn't know, he didn't understand, he was just a snake, unable to comprehend such complex things.
A snake's life is three years, a human's life is twenty years.
He carved the names and portraits of the three family members onto a stone tablet and buried it underground.
"Father, Mother, I'm leaving!"
At the gate of Wuyou City, Xu Hei turned his back, eyes filled with tears, and walked towards the city gate.
In a daze, Xu Hei returned to the moment he first gained awareness.
Reincarnated for countless lifetimes, living once as a human.
He envied humans.
How wonderful it would be to live in Wuyou City forever?
Xu Hei did not look back, resolutely walking towards the city gate, just as he chose the most challenging path of body cultivation, a life of comfort was not for him.
"Buzz!"
A bright white light shone before him, illuminating everything, space twisted, consciousness was extracted, and he traveled swiftly through the void.
He didn't know how long it took.
Xu Hei's consciousness returned to reality.
He was back in the crevice of space, beneath him was still the teleportation formation left by Hei Huang, and he was still that big black snake.
However, all the snake bones in his body had unconsciously transformed into dragon bones, including his head.
In front of him appeared an ancient scroll, with four names written on it, and this treasure returned with him.
"Xu Hei."
From the void in the sky came the voice of the City Lord of Wuyou.
"Do you think a true Wuyou City exists in the world?" the voice asked.
Xu Hei shook his head and said, "Born in adversity, die in comfort, there is no Wuyou City in this world."
"But if there are countless worlds, perhaps in one of them, somewhere, there is a place close to Wuyou City. The technology there is more advanced than Wuyou City."
"Everyone yearns for beautiful things, such a place must exist."
Xu Hei understood that in the harsh Cultivation World, Wuyou City could not exist.
The scenes in the city just now were but an illusion, with a powerful cultivator like the City Lord as a backing, enjoying favorable weather, free from illness and disaster, living in peace.
In a normal city, how could there be no disasters for a thousand years? It was just a Will-o'-the-Wisp.
"Born in adversity, die in comfort."
"Everyone yearns for beautiful things."
"Hahaha, it's a pity you weren't born in my era."
The City Lord of Wuyou laughed heartily, his voice tinged with regret, gradually fading away.
At that moment, the world suddenly shook.
Xu Hei looked up at the void, where a vortex appeared, leading to the heavens, as if terrifying thunderclouds were forming in the vast void.
These thunderclouds were countless times more terrifying than any Xu Hei had seen before.
"The Core Formation Stage tribulation is here!" Xu Hei thought to himself.
....253...
Xu Hei chose not to break through here. Hei Huang had warned him that if the formation here was shattered, he would be left adrift in the void, unable to return.
He put away the ancient map, only to discover, to his surprise, that a new name had appeared on it, making it five in total.
The new name was White Emperor!
Xu Hei carefully rolled up the ancient map and swallowed it.
"Teleportation formation, activate!"
With a thought, Xu Hei was enveloped by the light of teleportation. The scenery before him twisted rapidly, and Xu Hei transformed into a beam of light, traversing the void and arriving in the modern Wuyou City.
Above Wuyou City, a thick layer of dark clouds appeared immediately.
The oppressive clouds loomed over the city, rumbling like muffled thunder. Countless bolts of lightning brewed within the clouds, which were at least ten thousand feet high and a thousand miles wide, still expanding, like a mountain and sea of thunder suspended overhead, ready to pour down at any moment.
"What is that?"
"Look at the sky!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing, including Li Si's army, who were about to besiege the Chu Tian Alliance. They all looked up at the sky in unison.
Gazing at the thunderous clouds, everyone felt a deep sense of fear.
Because these thunderclouds were hanging right above their heads.
"Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations? No, how could the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations be this terrifying?!"
"But this clearly looks like the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations that appear when someone forms a core!"
Everyone speculated, unable to make a decision.
With such a sword hanging over their heads, no one could remain calm. They all involuntarily retreated, seeking a safe place to hide or summoning defensive magical treasures.
"Don't panic. Before coming to Wuyou City, I made thorough preparations. How could I not have measures against lightning?"
Li Si took out a series of formation flags, placing them in four directions, scattering spirit stones to construct a massive lightning-avoidance formation. This formation could divert the lightning to the periphery, preventing harm to the center.
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Still feeling insecure, he set up additional defensive formations, lightning-blocking formations, bell formations, and a series of life-saving formations.
If it weren't for Tianji Shangren stealing his formation, he could have won first place in that round, showing that Li Si's formation skills were quite impressive.
Outside Wuyou City, in the Wu Mountain Range.
Qin Xuanji sat high above the clouds, staring at the thunderclouds gathering in the distance, his eyes narrowing.
"Core Formation?"
His eyelids twitched, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
"We can't wait any longer. Break open the shell of Wuyou City immediately!"
With a wave of Qin Xuanji's hand, a gigantic cannon, a thousand feet wide, appeared in the sky, aimed at the distant gate of Wuyou City. The dark muzzle seemed capable of devouring the heavens and the earth.
"Boom!!!"
The cannon fire descended.
Simultaneously, the thunder tribulation fell.
At this moment, Wuyou City trembled, the heavens and earth shook, the void inverted, the universe reversed, and the sun and moon lost their light.
The majestic heavenly might traversed the void, crashing onto Xu Hei's head, striking the reverse scale on his forehead. A world-destroying electric light burst from Xu Hei's body, illuminating the entire Wuyou City.
The deafening roar exploded in everyone's ears, almost deafening them, their minds buzzing.
Xu Hei not only did not retreat but instead rose from the ground, soaring into the sky, facing the thunder head-on.
Reverse scale, growing in adversity!
Dragon bone, born in peril!
The biggest difference between a snake and a worm is that a snake has bones. In a comfortable environment, a snake will shed its venomous fangs, lose its hard bones, and become as soft and powerless as a worm.
Wolves will lose their sharp teeth and claws, becoming dogs. Wild chickens will lose their ability to fly, becoming domestic chickens.
When apes put on clothes, they lose their warm fur.
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In a comfortable environment, no true dragon can emerge. Dragon bones can only grow in adversity; this is the way of the dragon bone that Xu Hei learned in Wuyou City.
"Boom!!"
Another bolt of thunder struck down. Xu Hei did not flinch, shouting loudly as he charged into the sky, confronting the thunder head-on. Each time the thunder tribulation struck, the entire Wuyou City shook violently. Xu Hei's body was charred black, suffering severe injuries both inside and out.
Everyone looked up, watching the great snake battling against the heavens, their hearts filled with awe.
No matter which faction they belonged to or what their intentions were, they were all stunned by this scene.
"Is that... that snake?"
"Yes, it's that snake! Xu the Butcher!"
"Is he forming a core?"
"The same Core Formation, why is there such a big difference?"
Most of those present had seen the heavenly tribulation of Core Formation, and many had even experienced it themselves, but they had never seen such a terrifying tribulation.
Even more outrageous was that this snake could withstand it?
If it were them, the first bolt of lightning would have turned them to ash.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"...
One thunder tribulation after another struck down, and Xu Hei suffered repeated injuries. The black True Qi within him compressed frantically, transforming into True Essence.
In his dantian, above the Demon God Cauldron, a demon core was slowly forming; this was his Golden Core.
It was a purple-black Golden Core, the highest quality ever known.
"My dragon bone is not yet complete; I still need the final piece!"
A small bump appeared on Xu Hei's forehead.
This was his final piece of bone.
Just like the big black snake of Wuyou City growing venomous fangs, Xu Hei was also growing new bones.
Li Si could no longer sit still. He had a premonition that he must not let this snake succeed in crossing the tribulation, or the consequences would be unimaginable!
...
In the forbidden area of the back mountain of the Snake Catchers Sect.
Sect Master Xu Qingzhi soaked in a vat of snake blood, suddenly opened his eyes, feeling his eyelids twitching.
All the snake demons raised by the sect fell silent, trembling with fear, looking towards the horizon as if some powerful creature was about to be born into the world.
"Hmph!" Xu Qingzhi snorted coldly, calming his mind.
"Buzz buzz buzz..."
Deep within the forbidden area, a dark golden broadsword emitted a buzzing sound, instantly rising from the ground, traversing the void to appear before Xu Qingzhi.
This sword was ancient and worn, its surface covered with dim dragon patterns etched in blood, hinting at its past glory.
"Even the Dragon Slaying Sword of the Dragon Subduing Sect's ancestor has been summoned. It seems there's a Flood Dragon for me to slay!" Xu Qingzhi murmured.
At this moment, he took a deep breath, swallowing all the essence of snake blood in the vat in one gulp. This essence, condensed from millions of snakes, caused his aura to soar, quickly reaching the Great Perfection of the Golden Core from the late Core Formation stage.
At this moment, the Golden Core within him was flawless and complete, a perfect Golden Core without any defects!
Before him, the Dragon Slaying Sword had a drop of dark red blood seeping from its tip, filled with a terrifying aura of ferocity.
This was ancient Flood Dragon blood.
Xu Qingzhi stared at the drop of dark red blood, his gaze burning.
"If I consume this blood, I could even charge towards the Elemental Infant stage!"
"However, it's unnecessary. This is the blood of the Flood Dragon slain by the ancestors, the way of the ancestors, not my own way!"
Xu Qingzhi shook his head.
The way of the Dragon Subduing Sect is to slay dragons and slaughter Flood Dragons, proving the Dao with dragon blood and breaking through shackles.
Consuming this blood would prove someone else's Dao, not his own. Only by personally slaying a dragon, drinking dragon blood, and refining the Flood Dragon's soul could he achieve a perfect Elemental Infant.
He put away the drop of blood and grasped the ancient Dragon Slaying Sword.
This sword had slaughtered Flood Dragons.
Xu Qingzhi could faintly feel the will of the dragon slayers of the past, filling him with heroic spirit.
He soared into the sky, rushing towards the Wu Mountain Range at the fastest speed.
.....254....
"Boom boom boom boom boom..."
Thunder crashed down in waves, striking Xu Hei's head and surging through his entire body. Each bolt of the tribulation made his bones harder, and the horn on his head slowly grew out.
His reverse scale shifted to his neck, becoming his horn, a dragon horn.
With the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, Xu Hei was finally about to complete the second transformation, the Dragon Bone Transformation!
Forming a purple-black Golden Core, transforming dragon bones and growing horns, Xu Hei's power would reach an incredibly terrifying level.
Tianji Shangren stood in a corner of Wuyou City, continuously calculating with his fingers. Suddenly, his face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"What a terrifying causality, I can't calculate anything!"
Tianji Shangren's fingers trembled, his face ashen, his body weak. It was the first time he encountered such a situation, unable to calculate anything.
There was only one possibility: this matter involved one or more supreme beings, beyond his reach.
"I must not get involved in this; I need to leave quickly!" Tianji Shangren said gravely.
...
Xu Hei's tribulation crossing, though extremely perilous, was not enough to threaten him under his tempered spirit and will.
Such terrifying thunderclouds, even in ancient times, would mean certain death for any perfect Foundation Establishment cultivator attempting to cross the tribulation.
But for Xu Hei, it was merely a close call.
Xu Hei was far stronger than those perfect Foundation Establishment cultivators, beyond what any normal Chosen could comprehend!
However—
When the heavenly tribulation wasn't enough, human calamity stepped in!
At the critical moment of Xu Hei's tribulation crossing, a thunder spear pierced through the void, aiming straight for his location.
It was Lei He making his move!
One of the top ten experts of the Qin Kingdom, a late Core Formation stage general, without a word, launched a spear, completely locking onto Xu Hei's figure.
Xu Hei noticed the piercing thunder spear, his gaze turning cold.
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"Heh, is this also part of the tribulation crossing?"
In the past, facing such a formidable enemy, he wouldn't even have time to defend, only able to escape using a Small Teleportation Talisman.
Zhou Qing's casual slap, with just a bit of residual force, could severely injure him.
But now, Xu Hei was no longer the same.
Xu Hei did not dodge. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he charged head-on with his horn towards the incoming thunder spear.
"Diamond Suppression Technique!"
With a low shout, all his true essence gathered at his head, the purple-black Golden Core spun wildly, the surging true essence transformed into ocean waves, layer upon layer, compressing madly, making his dragon horn shine with a black light.
"Boom!!!"
The dragon horn collided, and the thunder spear from afar disintegrated instantly upon impact, shattering into powder.
Xu Hei also suffered a heavy blow, his body thrown back, blood splattering, bones trembling violently, muscles tearing, suffering severe injuries.
However, he did not fall. After retreating a thousand meters, he steadied himself.
He withstood the strike!
"How is this possible?!!"
Lei He in the distance, witnessing this scene, let out a sharp cry, his eyes filled with shock.
The opponent didn't dodge but charged head-on.
He was at the late Core Formation stage, while the opponent was only at the early Core Formation stage, not even having completed the tribulation crossing.
In history, has there ever been such a powerful Core Formation stage? Even Qin Xuanji, when he first formed his core, wasn't this exaggerated.
This was an existence even more terrifying than Qin Xuanji!
"Li Si was right, this serpent cannot be left alive, I must take this seriously!"
Lei He took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with lightning, a Thunder God Trident appeared in his hand, surrounded by thunder spears, forming a thunder formation.
This was a magical treasure used only against opponents of the same level. Even Xu Qingfeng would have to avoid it! Lei He was getting serious!
Just as he was about to make a move, his pupils shrank.
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Xu Hei had disappeared.
"Not good!"
Lei He's face changed drastically, hurriedly rushing downward.
At this moment, Xu Hei, fully utilizing his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, covered in blood, transformed into afterimages, speeding toward the area where Li Si and others were.
"I just wanted to quietly cross my tribulation, but you insist on courting death! Did you really think I didn't notice you?"
Xu Hei's speed was incredibly fast, impossible to capture with Divine Sense, beyond sight. In the blink of an eye, he was above Li Si and the others.
He couldn't deal with Lei He, so he would first handle these easier targets.
"Boom!!!"
Thunder struck down, hitting the area where Xu Hei was, lightning scattering, crashing into the formation, weakened layer by layer, yet some still penetrated.
Li Si was immediately struck by lightning, spitting out blood, his eyes filled with horror.
"What terrifying thunder tribulation, and what's wrong with my formation?"
Li Si was shocked to find that the formations he had set up seemed to have been secretly altered, appearing the same as before, but with only ten percent of their original power!
Upon closer inspection, most of the Spirit Stones he used for the formation had been stolen!
"Who did this! Who on earth did this?!"
Li Si roared, instinctively thinking of Tianji Shangren, but then dismissing the idea, as the other party had no reason to trouble him.
In just a moment, another bolt of lightning fell. With a "boom," the ground exploded, the sky shook, all formations collapsed in an instant, formation flags flew chaotically, blasting a deep pit ten thousand meters wide.
Screams echoed, people were blasted into the air one by one, Li Si also spat blood, his body charred, being blasted away, suffering heavy casualties in an instant.
Faintly, a dog paw could be seen reaching out from the void, collecting the formation flags one by one.
Fortunately, this group had defensive magical treasures on them, not relying solely on the formations, or they would have been struck dead.
Lei He was completely dumbfounded.
At this moment, the black serpent was rampaging among the crowd. How could he dare to make a move? If he threw a spear, who knew if it would kill the enemy or harm his own.
"Prime Minister Li, think of something!"
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The cultivators shouted to Li Si, but he also had no idea what to do.
"Boom!" "Boom!"...
Two more bolts of lightning struck down, finally causing a Core Formation stage cultivator to be unable to withstand it, killed by the aftermath of the thunder tribulation, perishing completely.
This was still just the aftermath of Xu Hei's tribulation crossing.
However, Xu Hei was also not in good shape. He had to concentrate to withstand the thunder tribulation. If he hadn't been pushed to the brink, he wouldn't have resorted to such methods to intimidate his opponents.
Xu Hei roamed around again, another early Core Formation stage was struck dead, and three to five Foundation Establishment stages were turned to ash.
Li Si's heart bled; every Core Formation stage was a deputy general-level figure, losing even one was painful.
Fortunately, Xu Hei didn't take further action, and everyone quickly hid behind Lei He.
Lei He also dared not make another move, lest Xu Hei, pushed to the limit, charged at him. Even if he could escape unscathed, those around him could not be saved.
"Is that... Senior Xu Hei?" Xiao Chou was stunned.
"The bald snake, no longer bald?" Vulture's eyes were wide, staring at the horn on Xu Hei's head.
"Amitabha, great virtue." Ku Xuan clasped his hands together.
"That was close! I couldn't calculate anything this time, I was just guessing." Zhao Wenzhuo gritted his teeth, the tortoise shell in his hand trembling.
"So he's called... Xu Hei." The Silver-haired Witch murmured softly.
The madness in Zhang Tie's eyes faded a bit.
Xu Qingfeng said nothing, just exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
...
Before long, Xu Hei's tribulation crossing reached its end.
At this moment, Xu Hei's injuries no longer worsened. Under the final wave of thunder, his physical body rapidly strengthened, the Demon God Cauldron frantically devoured the power of the thunder tribulation, feeding it back to Xu Hei, helping him repair his damaged body.
Xu Hei's body quickly grew taller, longer, thicker, harder.
The purple-black Golden Core in his abdomen officially formed, emitting black true essence, transforming into a lake, flowing into his meridians and bones.
He had a dragon horn on his head, dragon bones inside, dragon scales outside, transforming into a fifteen-meter-long giant horned serpent. Perhaps, it could no longer be called a serpent.
At this moment, Xu Hei successfully formed his core, officially becoming a Core Formation stage great demon.
An immense, boundless pressure released from his body, dominating the entire scene, a pressure no one had ever seen before, unmatched by any same-level demonic beast!
And at the same time.
"Boom crack..."
Outside Wuyou City, the protective layer blocking the Heavenly Puppet Sect's army shattered.
.....255....
"Rumble..."
In the distant sky, a dense shadow flew in from the outside world, arriving above Wuyou City.
It was a massive, endless army of puppets, covering the already dark sky with a black cloud.
As the thunder tribulation dissipated, the puppets entered the scene.
At the forefront of the puppet army was a middle-aged man in brocade clothing, exuding a long-lasting aura, his eyes deep as if containing flames and thunder, with various storage artifacts hanging from his body.
Qin Xuanji, a formidable cultivator who had reached the Extreme Realm of the Core Formation Stage, was a force capable of conquering an entire city on his own.
Countless renowned experts of the Chu Kingdom had perished under his puppet battle formation, and numerous cities had fallen to his single-handed assault.
Though he was one of the top ten experts of the Qin Kingdom, the pressure Qin Xuanji brought was more terrifying than ten Lei He combined.
"Hehehe, it's over! These people are doomed!"
Li Si sneered coldly. His plan was always to buy time until the Heavenly Puppet Sect's army arrived, and now his goal was accomplished.
Although the serpent's breakthrough caused a slight disruption, it was insignificant and didn't affect the overall situation. From the beginning, the outcome was predetermined.
As Qin Xuanji descended, his gaze immediately locked onto Xu Hei.
Reflected in his pupils was a giant horned serpent, and without a word, he raised his hand and pointed.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
A row of war chariots charged forward, forming a snake-slaying battle formation, creating an inescapable net. Each chariot was comparable to a top-tier third-grade magical treasure, moving at incredible speed, like phantoms.
Xu Hei's eyes were icy, with no intention of confronting head-on, as he was about to summon something.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, the ground in a certain area of Wuyou City exploded, and a figure shot into the sky like a white lightning bolt tearing through the firmament, roaring like thunder, swift as a streak of lightning.
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This person, with snow-white hair fluttering in the wind, had a robust figure, exuding a sense of power.
Raising her hand, she clenched it into a fist and smashed down towards the war chariots.
"Nuclear Fusion Fist, Formation Breaking Style!"
With an earth-shattering shout, the fist moved like a gale, piercing through the sky. The rows of war chariots were blasted apart with a single punch, shattering into countless fragments, turning to dust.
Seeing the familiar martial technique and the figure with white hair flying, Xu Hei's mouth gaped open, his body frozen in place.
"What!?" Li Si's pupils contracted sharply.
Qin Xuanji's gaze also focused, saying, "An Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet?!"
Red hair above, white hair—this was an Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet.
The number one on the legendary danger list.
"It's here! It's here! This is the number one on the danger list, the strongest demon puppet!"
Han Te shrank into a corner, trembling, his eyes fixed on the hole in the sky, thinking of escaping from there but too afraid to move.
The moment the Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet appeared, everyone's expressions changed drastically, their hearts filled with terror.
This was a corpse puppet, killing anyone in its path, unstoppable by anyone.
However, this corpse puppet did not actively attack people.
That agile figure, strong physique, aside from the white hair being different from back then, was still so familiar.
Xu Hei's body trembled as he looked at the back of that figure, murmuring, "Senior Sister?"
His voice even trembled slightly.
This white-haired corpse puppet was the martial arts school's senior sister from back then, Bai Wei!
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Bai Wei did not answer him, nor did she turn around, just stood quietly in the void, locking onto Qin Xuanji.
Though she had become a corpse puppet, and a cultivator's lifespan couldn't last that long, Bai Wei did not attack people. She just stood at the front, guarding this land.
It was her instinct.
If human nature is inherently evil, then after becoming a corpse puppet, the instinct would be slaughter.
If human nature is inherently good, then what they do is protect!
"Whoosh!"
Bai Wei's figure vanished on the spot, transforming into a long rainbow, stepping on one of the White Emperor's ultimate techniques, the Lightning Leg, sweeping towards the puppet army in front.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
The airwaves surged, the void trembled, forming wave-like shockwaves that swept across the sky. Under this leg, the puppet army exploded one after another, shattering into pieces. No matter how strong the puppets were, they had no power to resist this fatal strike.
This was the Elemental Infant stage; even as a corpse puppet, it was not something the Core Formation stage could withstand.
"Look, what is that?"
"That figure looks so familiar! I think... I've seen it in the Bai Family's ancestral spirit hall."
The Bai Family's team, also trapped within Wuyou City, looked towards the horizon, watching the white-haired figure flying among the puppet army, each showing a look of shock.
Especially the Bai Family's Grand Elder, whose eyes were filled with excitement, his body trembling, tears streaming down his face.
The Bai Family's first ancestor!
Bai Wei passed through the puppet formation, striking directly at the retreating Qin Xuanji with a punch, the force surging, unstoppable!
"Hmph!" A cold snort came from beyond the sky.
A white-haired figure appeared almost instantly, with a wave of his sleeve, forming a gentle force that neutralized all the energy.
The Elemental Infant stage ancestor of the Qin Kingdom, Ancestor Xingtian, also appeared, the one who had previously sealed the city with his Divine Sense.
"Even with an Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet for protection, it was unexpected, but your fate is sealed today!"
Ancestor Xingtian's face was expressionless. The Heavenly Puppet Sect had made countless preparations; no matter how many changes you had, it was a dead end.
The Qin Kingdom did not fight unprepared battles.
They had conquered countless cities in the Chu Kingdom; what was one Wuyou City?
Bai Wei showed no fear, charging at Ancestor Xingtian, who frowned, throwing out a copper bell magical artifact, pressing forward. Yet Bai Wei punched through the sky, even denting the copper bell, which then exploded.
"A rare body-refining corpse puppet!"
Ancestor Xingtian squinted his eyes, not daring to be careless, retreating while fighting, continuously summoning magical artifacts.
"You can stop me, but can you stop our puppet army?" Ancestor Xingtian sneered.
At this moment, under Qin Xuanji's control, the puppet army reformed, covering the mountains and plains, the sky and the earth, as if the space within his storage artifact was endless.
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Suddenly, the ground of Wuyou City cracked open.
Withered hands reached out from underground. One by one, corpse puppets crawled up, standing within the city.
However, these corpse puppets were different from before; they had no sinister aura, no ghostly energy, and no murderous intent.
Their steps were firm, their eyes clear, looking towards the Heavenly Puppet Sect's army in the sky.
In life, they were farmers, carpenters, builders, students of the academy. In death, as corpse puppets, they still protected this land.
"Roar!"
All the corpse puppets let out a thunderous roar, stepping on the ground, rising into the sky like sharp swords, charging towards the endless Heavenly Puppet Sect army.
Protect Wuyou City, protect this sky!
Unknowingly.
After Xu Hei's inheritance ended, the corpse puppets changed as well.
Xu Hei's eyes were vacant, staring blankly at everything between heaven and earth, finally understanding the meaning of that sentence.
"History is destined, unchangeable, but some things can be redeemed!"
In the sky, the dark clouds that had been covering Wuyou City split open, and long-lost sunlight shone down, falling upon the earth, illuminating everyone's hearts.
.....256...
Xu Qingfeng gazed at the sun pouring down from the sky, seemingly lost in thought, his eyes squinting against the glare.
More and more experts from the Heavenly Puppet Sect descended upon Wuyou City, each carrying a multitude of puppets, with any one of them equivalent to an entire army.
However, Wuyou City's army of corpse puppets was equally vast, emerging from the ground in waves, an awe-inspiring sight.
"Kill!"
Lei He, his body surging with blood energy, wielded a war halberd like an invincible war god, charging into the army and effortlessly cutting down swathes of corpse puppets.
"Roar!"
From the Blood Corpse Cave outside the city came an earth-shattering roar, and a whirlwind of red hair swept through the sky. A red-haired figure stepped through the air from outside the city—it was the Red-haired Corpse King.
Behind him, the army of corpse puppets from the Blood Corpse Cave joined the battle.
The Red-haired Corpse King led the charge, heading straight for Lei He, who was also at the late Core Formation stage.
This was an epic battle, the likes of which had never been seen before. The two armies clashed like two massive dark clouds, the sounds of battle echoing to the heavens.
This was the battle between the Heavenly Puppet Sect and Wuyou City.
It was also the battle between the Divine Puppet Sect and the third-generation ancestor!
In a daze, the dim glow of history shone down, and historical projections appeared above Wuyou City.
These were from ancient times, when the City Lord of Wuyou faced the siege of three sect leaders from the Divine Puppet Sect, resulting in cataclysmic destruction, the city in ruins, and all its citizens turned to madness, joining the great battle.
History can repeat itself.
But Wuyou City was no longer the Wuyou City of old.
Yunlu Academy.
Zhang Tie was also affected by an invisible force, the ferocity gone from his eyes as he looked outside at Li Si.
"Boom!!"
In the next moment, he stomped the ground and shot out like a black cannonball, his body undergoing demonic transformation, a thick layer of black keratin forming on his skin, with demonic flames burning in his eyes.
This enhanced form only appeared when one was possessed, and Zhang Tie maintained it to attack his enemies!
"You! Die!"
Zhang Tie clawed at Li Si's neck, who immediately summoned a demonic bell. The sound waves rippled out, impacting Zhang Tie, but he was unaffected, not even pausing for a second.
"How is this possible? The demonic bell is useless?!"
Li Si was shocked and dismayed.
The demonic sound was the culprit that drove Zhang Tie to madness, yet it had lost its effect. Without hesitation, Li Si retreated swiftly.
"Villains, halt!"
Suddenly, from behind came the surge of a hundred spells, crashing down with a roar. Fire Snake Technique, Storm Technique, Water Blade Technique... all basic spells, only second-tier in power. But their sheer number forced even Li Si to stop.
"Who?!"
Li Si and his men looked behind them.
On a broken street, at some unknown time, a large group of rogue cultivators had taken over.
Among this group, more than ninety percent were Foundation Establishment cultivators, with only five at the early Core Formation stage, totaling around eighty people.
This included evil cultivators from the Blood Robe Sect and three recruited by the Zhou Family, most of whom had followed the Chu Tian Alliance.
Now, they had all gathered, forming a team. The remaining rogue cultivators in Wuyou City were basically all here.
"What are you doing?"
Li Si's face was dark as he stared at the group of rogue cultivators, a look of disbelief in his eyes.
Even more shocking was the fact that these rogue cultivators had formed a fan-shaped encirclement, blocking their retreat.
Li Si, as the strategist of the Qin Kingdom, with many generals following him, had never encountered such a situation!
"Mere rogue cultivators, are you rebelling?"
A deputy general shouted.
From among the rogue cultivators, one stepped forward, fearless.
"We have received the grace of the Chu Tian Alliance. Now, in this time of crisis, we cannot sit idly by. We will follow Senior Xu and fight to the end!"
"Follow Senior Xu! Fight to the end!"
"Fight to the end!"
The rogue cultivators shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
Their motives were clear.
Now, an epic battle had erupted in Wuyou City, with the Heavenly Puppet Sect and Wuyou City as the combatants, countless Core Formation stage cultivators, and even Elemental Infant stage clashes, with puppets numbering in the millions.
These rogue cultivators, caught in such a war, were like ants, like dust, easily wiped out by any stray wave.
To survive, they had two choices: join Li Si or join Xu Qingfeng.
Who to choose?
Is there even a question?
Whether you are a villain or a virtuous person, whether righteous or evil, you would unhesitatingly choose the latter!
Following the righteous path, seeking benefit and avoiding harm, is human nature!
At least, Xu Qingfeng would not kill without reason, would not betray you.
"Do you know what you are saying?"
Li Si's face was grim as he spoke in a low voice, "I am the Prime Minister of the Qin Kingdom. I give you a chance, join me, and you will have a way out! If you dare to resist, once you leave this place, none of you will escape!"
Immediately, a rogue cultivator retorted, "We rogue cultivators have no ties, the world is vast, where can't we go? At worst, we'll leave the Qin Kingdom!"
"Following Senior Xu, at least safety is guaranteed. But following you, who can trust you?"
"Who can trust you?"
The rogue cultivators shouted, their voices overlapping.
Someone like Li Si could offer you benefits one moment and sell you out the next.
Sow evil, reap evil; cultivate good, receive good.
A family that accumulates virtue will have lasting prosperity.
Xu Qingfeng, because of a series of seemingly foolish good deeds, finally received a response at this moment.
At this moment, all eyes were on him.
Xu Qingfeng stood beside the Sage's statue, his clothes stained with blood, his nose tingling, his voice choked.
"Thank you... everyone!"
The Sage's phantom, acting as a witness, had long since vanished.
The inheritance halo had also disappeared at some point.
Perhaps they were not fighting for Mo Wuyou's inheritance, but for their own path.
Li Si and Xu Qingfeng, Bai Luo and Bai Qiushui, as Mr. Bai said, in a debate, is there really a winner or loser?
Xu Qingfeng did not win, nor did he lose!
Xu Hei exhaled a hot breath, and through the Demon God Cauldron's refinement of the thunder tribulation, his internal and external injuries were completely healed. Dragon scales and dragon bones were in place, his eyes gleaming, reaching the peak of the post-Core Formation stage.
"Roar!!"
Xu Hei roared to the sky, letting out a loud dragon's roar.
Dragon Qi soared to the heavens, dragon bones stood proud in the sky! Xu Hei felt his blood and energy burning, let out a sharp howl, and with a flick of his dragon tail, charged towards Li Si's army.
Today, Li Si's blood would be the first sacrifice!
"Stop him!"
Li Si's face changed dramatically, formation flags were placed on the ground, spirit stones rained down like a storm. With the retreat blocked by rogue cultivators, he could only use a teleportation formation to escape!
"Crack!"
Xu Hei opened his massive jaws and bit down, shattering the armor of a Core Formation stage deputy general clad in golden armor, his body and a third-tier mid-grade magical treasure crushed to powder, blood and flesh flying, not even a scream escaping, his form and spirit annihilated.
Same realm, a one-hit kill!
"Smack!!"
With a flick of his tail, another Core Formation stage cultivator was smashed, along with various third-tier magical treasures shattered, this person giving his all, yet unable to withstand a casual strike.
Everyone was shocked, their eyes wide, as if seeing a ghost.
"What terrifying power!"
"Is this a demonic beast? Can a demonic beast be this strong?"
"Even third-tier mid-grade magical treasures are useless! What kind of existence is this?"
At this moment, whether it was Li Si's army or the nearly hundred rogue cultivators watching from behind, their jaws nearly dropped.
Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator dealing with an early-stage Core Formation cultivator couldn't do it so easily.
And this was without using spells, just close combat!
What would it be like if spells and magical treasures were added?
"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"
Xu Hei's figure flickered, shooting like an arrow into Li Si's formation. At his realm, Ever-changing Fish and Dragon could already ignore some weaker formations, moving as if on flat ground.
"Stop him!" Li Si shouted.
He pulled out a jade talisman and crushed it, the talisman transforming into a golden seal, standing proudly in the air, accompanied by an overwhelming imperial aura, reigning over the world, the emperor's might suppressing all.
Li Si's strongest trump card, the Qin Emperor's Seal!
.....257....
In the shadows, a towering and majestic emperor could be seen, holding the Qin Emperor's Seal, reigning over the world, standing proudly in the void, his eyes gazing down upon all living things.
The Qin Emperor's Seal, which governs the fate of a nation and controls the myriad laws of the universe, though merely a manifestation, is not something that can be easily shaken, capable of suppressing even those at the late Core Formation stage.
Suddenly, something in Xu Qingfeng's storage bag began to vibrate violently. He quickly retrieved it, revealing the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book left to him by his grandmaster.
At this moment, a character in the center of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book was vibrating intensely, emitting a dazzling light.
—Ding!
The character "Ding" seemed to concentrate all the energy of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, as if it were becoming tangible, eager to burst forth.
The Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book was not written by one person; it contains different Dao rhymes from various individuals. This "Ding" character came from a prodigy of the Xiang family.
"The Qin Emperor's Seal has emerged, and the Ding character contends for supremacy. Is this destiny?"
Xu Qingfeng's eyes were resolute as he raised his hand and pointed.
The "Ding" character soared into the sky, instantly transforming into an illusory giant cauldron, pitch-black, exuding the domineering aura of an overlord!
The Xiang family, the Overlord Cauldron!
Once the Overlord Cauldron appeared, it needed no human control, traversing the void at an incredible speed, roaring towards Li Si in the distance.
Or rather, the Overlord Cauldron's target was not Li Si, but the Qin Emperor's Seal!
The might of the unparalleled overlord clashed with the grand imperial aura, a contest not only of power but of destiny.
"Boom!!"
With a collision that shook the heavens, the phantom of the Qin Emperor's Seal crumbled instantly, and the Overlord Cauldron shattered as well. Li Si's pupils contracted, and he cried out in disbelief, "This is impossible!!"
Nothing is impossible!
The Qin Emperor's Seal was only out for two breaths before being destroyed by the Overlord Cauldron.
"Ugh!!"
Li Si spat blood, his entire skeleton shattered, swept by the terrifying aftermath, nearly reduced to dust.
With the Qin Emperor's Seal gone, no one could stop Xu Hei.
Xu Hei, unstoppable, charged into the formation, without any fancy moves, directly using the horn on his head to ram into Li Si.
"Bang!!"
Just as the formation was about to activate, Li Si's body was completely torn apart by Xu Hei's strike, turning into countless pieces of flesh, scattering across the sky.
Even the teleportation formation was mostly destroyed by Xu Hei's collision.
However, Xu Hei noticed that within Li Si's shattered body, a phantom shadow slipped into a Void Stone, and with a flash of formation fluctuation, the Void Stone was directly transmitted away.
"Escaped?"
Xu Hei frowned slightly, not wanting to leave such a menace behind.
However, with his physical body destroyed, a mere Core Formation cultivator could at most linger on like the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, relying on special means, neither human nor ghost.
Although the opponent might not have teleported far, still within Wuyou City, Xu Hei had no interest in searching.
Li Si's army still had some small fry left, which Xu Hei, together with many rogue cultivators, quickly slaughtered cleanly.
The trouble they now faced was still the Heavenly Puppet Sect.
The numbers were simply overwhelming, and this kind of puppet battle between immortals was nerve-wracking to even glance at. Unless one possessed late Core Formation stage combat power to break through locally and thus affect the overall situation, it was impossible to intervene.
The Chu Tian Alliance at its peak might have been able to do it, but now, with the Chu Tian Alliance mostly crippled, and Xu Qingfeng having fainted directly after using the Overlord Cauldron.
Xu Hei said, "You stay here, find an opportunity to escape, and leave the rest to me!"
Without hesitation, Xu Hei soared into the sky, his gaze fixed on Lei He, who was fighting in the distance.
At this moment, Lei He was engaged in a fierce battle with the Red-haired Corpse King from the Blood Corpse Cave. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and the Red-haired Corpse King, now fully awake, was even stronger, effortlessly wielding various spells.
Lei He also realized he was being targeted by a snake, frowning slightly but not overly concerned. As long as Xu Hei dared to intervene, he was confident he could ensure Xu Hei would not return.
Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he was about to take out the Black Dragon Pagoda.
But suddenly, he felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation of being locked onto, his blood boiling uncontrollably.
This made him frown deeply, hesitating.
"Xu Hei, this is the karma of the Divine Puppet Sect. It was sown by me back then, and I will end it!"
"You also have your own karma!"
At this moment, a familiar voice reached Xu Hei's ears, the voice of the City Lord of Wuyou, transmitted through a corpse puppet.
Xu Hei seemed to sense something, raising his head to look towards the horizon.
At this moment, outside Wuyou City, a figure entirely bathed in crimson was approaching, riding on a wave of blood.
The overwhelming murderous aura transformed into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, pressing heavily on Xu Hei's heart from an endless distance, having slaughtered countless snake creatures!
Such an existence, with just a glance, could make snakes tremble in fear.
Even snake demons of the same cultivation level would instinctively feel terrified when encountering such a snake killer, unable to exert even a fraction of their strength.
Xu Hei originally felt a sense of dread, but as his Nine Transformations of the True Dragon cultivation technique circulated, all fear vanished, replaced by anger and hatred.
The instinct of a living creature made him almost unable to control himself, wanting to kill this person, to grind their bones to dust!
"Calm down."
Xu Hei muttered to himself, forcing himself to remain calm.
Undoubtedly, the opponent was a peerless expert, with means to restrain snake demons. Even though Xu Hei was no longer a pure snake, he couldn't blindly confront them head-on.
Each level of a Core Formation cultivator is vastly different, and Xu Hei had just broken through. To fight against a Great Perfection Core Formation cultivator would be suicidal.
Moreover, within Wuyou City, he didn't want to expose himself too much. Otherwise, if Qin Xuanji or the Elemental Infant stage ancestor decided to eliminate him at all costs, it would be a huge problem.
During his attack on Li Si, he had already felt some gazes from afar.
Xu Hei could sense that every move he made, every display of strength, was being watched by someone in the shadows.
He was able to shatter Li Si's physical body thanks to Xu Qingfeng's Overlord Cauldron, which didn't attract much attention, and even Lei He held a slight contempt for him.
This was exactly the situation Xu Hei wanted!
If Xu Hei's strength exceeded a certain threshold, seen as a threat by the Heavenly Puppet Sect that must be eliminated at all costs, it would be very troublesome.
"Xu Hei, come here!" Hei Huang's voice transmitted over.
Xu Hei immediately descended and burrowed underground.
At this moment, Hei Huang had already constructed a giant formation, hidden beneath the earth.
—The Great Teleportation Formation.
This was what Hei Huang had mentioned before, giving him three days to set up a Great Teleportation Formation to escape Wuyou City, and he had succeeded.
"Fight or retreat? That guy seems obsessed, just fixated on you. I could see it from afar," Hei Huang said.
Xu Hei replied solemnly, "Let's leave this place first."
.....258. ..
Xu Hei stealthily entered the underground, arriving within the formation.
"Activate!" With a clap of Hei Huang's claws, the light of the formation immediately enveloped Xu Hei.
The space twisted, as if a Small Teleportation Talisman had been activated. Xu Hei's figure swiftly transformed into a streak of light, diving into the void and traversing at an astonishing speed.
In the blink of an eye, Xu Hei had escaped the confines of Wuyou City, passing through the blockade and reaching the outskirts.
Finally, he descended onto a mountainside in the Wu Mountain Range.
The Wu Mountain Range was shrouded in mist, with a humid climate.
Looking back, Wuyou City was not far behind, resembling a massive black dragon lying coiled in a cracked valley.
Even from this distance, the terrifying fluctuations of battle could still be felt, occasionally accompanied by earth-shattering booms, as Elemental Infant cultivators clashed.
However, the blood-red figure in the distance continued to approach Xu Hei, as if it had locked onto him.
"Blood Source Tracking Technique, this person has devoured the blood of your kin, and won't rest until they catch you!" Hei Huang said.
Xu Hei said nothing, taking out a spirit stone and beginning to construct a formation.
As the City Lord of Wuyou had said, this was his karma, and this battle was unavoidable.
He never intended to flee, merely to change locations to kill quietly, avoiding interference and misleading others into thinking he was running away.
At this moment, not only was the blood-red figure closing in rapidly, but also some cultivators from the Snake Catchers Sect were flying out from the top of Wuyou City, also heading towards Xu Hei.
The Snake Catchers Sect was Xu Hei's karma!
The name of this sect destined that only one side could survive.
At this moment, the entire Snake Catchers Sect, from the sect master and ancestor to the foundation-building disciples, all charged towards Xu Hei.
They had received orders to spare no effort in eliminating Xu Hei, to drink his blood, gnaw his bones, and seize his fortune!
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Xu Hei was an unprecedented great fortune for the Snake Catchers Sect, a living flood dragon! Every inch of his body was a treasure, each scale a supreme treasure, every drop of blood capable of helping disciples break through.
In an era where true dragons were extinct and flood dragons were hard to find, Xu Hei was a rare gem.
"They're here!"
Gazing at the approaching blood-red figure, Xu Hei's eyes were solemn.
He had already recognized who it was—the sect master of the Snake Catchers Sect, Xu Qingzhi, the strongest snake catcher of the current generation.
And even stronger than the rumors suggested!
The sky darkened, blood-red murderous aura filled the heavens, and wherever Xu Qingzhi passed, the air turned crimson, a result of slaughtering millions of snakes.
Before Xu Qingzhi even got close, he let out a low shout, and the surging murderous aura pressed towards Xu Hei.
But Xu Hei was unaffected, his eyes not showing fear but instead burning with immense fury.
"Hmm?"
Xu Qingzhi frowned slightly, clearly surprised by Xu Hei's reaction. Even a flood dragon should be somewhat affected.
"No matter what, today you will die under the Dragon Slaying Sword of our ancestor!"
Xu Qingzhi took a step, covering a thousand feet, rapidly closing in, almost reaching Xu Hei in the blink of an eye.
Xu Hei didn't hesitate, taking out a golden storage bag, and with a flick of his snake tail, a mirror appeared.
The Heavenly Demon Mirror!
The Heavenly Demon Mirror aimed at Xu Qingzhi, but the latter vanished instantly, like an illusion, not captured like Xuan Yangzi had been.
However, the Heavenly Demon Mirror was no ordinary item, automatically seeking its target, aiming at a distant void.
There, Xu Qingzhi's figure reappeared, and in the Heavenly Demon Mirror, an identical image of Xu Qingzhi emerged.
"What is this?"
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Xu Qingzhi had heard rumors of this mirror two years ago and was prepared, creating a wisp of illusion to approach and see if he could trick the mirror out.
He succeeded, as Xu Hei indeed used the Heavenly Demon Mirror.
But he also failed, as he was still captured.
From the Heavenly Demon Mirror, a figure identical to Xu Qingzhi stepped out, clad in blood-red robes, handsome in appearance, and the sky was immediately covered with overwhelming blood-red murderous aura, standing in opposition.
The difference was, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"The rumors are true, you really have a mirror that creates inner demons!"
Xu Qingzhi's eyes narrowed, but he also let out a cold smile.
"You can copy me, but can you also copy the Dragon Slaying Sword..."
Before Xu Qingzhi could finish his sentence.
He saw another Xu Qingzhi take out a Dragon Slaying Sword, identical, with murderous aura reaching the heavens, seemingly having also slain a flood dragon.
Xu Qingzhi's pupils contracted.
He had never seen an inner demon in his life and had no idea how they worked.
There were only rumors that the Mountain-moving Patriarch encountered an inner demon during his nascent soul formation, leading to his death and the dissipation of his Dao, but the details were unknown.
Then, Xu Qingzhi took out various magical treasures and talismans, but without exception, they were all mirrored by the other Xu Qingzhi.
"I underestimated you, but since I anticipated this scene, how could I not be prepared?"
Xu Qingzhi sneered, sending a message: "Master, you can act now!"
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Suddenly, three black chains shot out from the void, piercing through the inner demon Xu Qingzhi with lightning speed, firmly anchoring him in the void.
At the other end of the chains appeared an old man with silver hair, clad in a red robe, stepping out from the void, holding the chains, his aura vast and unending like the ocean waves.
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He was the previous sect master of the Snake Catchers Sect, the Fifteenth Ancestor.
A Core Formation stage sect master over three hundred years old would retire, passing the position to the next generation. The Fifteenth Ancestor was slightly younger than the Thirteenth Ancestor, but still four hundred years old, his cultivation stalled at the late Core Formation stage.
The chains in his hand, called the Inner Demon Chains, were specifically prepared to target inner demons.
To prevent the Inner Demon Chains from being copied, he specifically called the Fifteenth Ancestor to act instead of himself.
"You can copy me, but can you copy my master?" Xu Qingzhi sneered.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw chains shooting out from the Heavenly Demon Mirror, aiming at him.
"Not good!"
The Fifteenth Ancestor's expression changed, attempting to intercept, but the chains accelerated, ignoring the spatial distance, piercing through Xu Qingzhi before he could dodge, locking him in place, unable to move.
From the mirror of the Heavenly Demon Mirror stepped out an old man.
Clad in red robes, with silver hair, holding the other end of the chains, his aura vast and unending like the ocean waves.
Identical to the Fifteenth Ancestor!
"How can this be?" Both were dumbfounded.
Xu Hei was also stunned.
Two inner demons! This Heavenly Demon Mirror can replicate two?
"Hey, hey, don't just stand there, do something! My time is precious!" urged the inner demon Xu Qingzhi, shaking the Dragon Slaying Sword impatiently.
"Do what? I'm already four hundred years old, these old bones can't handle fighting! A few more hits and my lifespan will be gone." The inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor cursed.
At this moment, the scene was deathly silent.
Xu Qingzhi and the Fifteenth Ancestor's eyes were wide as saucers, not knowing what to do.
They had rehearsed ways to deal with inner demons, but the current situation was completely unexpected.
Xu Hei's mind buzzed, quickly sending a message underground: "Hei Huang, what's going on? Why can this mirror replicate two people?"
However, there was no response from Hei Huang.
Xu Hei scanned with his divine sense, only to find that Hei Huang had long disappeared, whereabouts unknown.
Soon, the Snake Catchers Sect's army arrived at the scene, led by Grand Elder Yin Mingzi. They exchanged glances, tacitly keeping their distance from the inner demons in the sky, encircling Xu Hei instead.
In their view, it was best to stay as far away as possible from such bizarre phenomena.
....259.....
In order to kill Xu Hei, the Snake Catchers Sect had made extremely thorough preparations, reaching the utmost in terms of manpower and resources.
Sect Leader Xu Qingzhi was held back, along with the Fifteenth Ancestor. Without the Fifteenth Ancestor, there was still the elder group of the Snake Catchers Sect led by Yin Mingzi.
With such meticulous preparations, no matter how many tricks Xu Hei had up his sleeve, there was only one path for him—death!
In a daze, Xu Hei found himself back in the Myriad Serpent Valley, facing an overwhelming army.
The difference was that last time, he was merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage, facing Xuan Yangzi.
This time, he had already reached the Core Formation Stage, facing the elite of the entire Snake Catchers Sect.
Xu Hei secretly observed his opponents.
Three mid-stage Core Formation core elders, seven early-stage Core Formation ordinary elders, totaling ten Core Formation cultivators, posed the greatest threat.
A large number of Foundation Establishment stage stewards and disciples stayed back, hiding behind the mountain peaks. Only some cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage set up formations around, which could also affect those at the Core Formation Stage.
Xu Hei's gaze grew colder; he wouldn't let a single one of these people escape today.
"Take action!" Yin Mingzi ordered in a low voice.
Numerous elders clapped their hands and pressed them to the ground. Suddenly, a massive formation emerged, with countless chains shooting out from the void, directly targeting Xu Hei. It was the Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation aimed at him.
The positions of these chains changed endlessly, interlocking and encircling, sealing off all directions of Xu Hei's movement. They also possessed indestructible strength, representing the extreme of the formation's Qianyang, highly effective against demons.
In terms of expertise, the Snake Catchers Sect had no equal in the Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation.
"So, you want to play with formations? Nine-square Killing Formation!"
Xu Hei shouted, his snake tail burrowing into the ground, activating the formation.
In an instant, countless formation lights lit up on the surrounding ground and in the void, with destructive waves enveloping the ten elders surrounding from the Snake Catchers Sect!
These formations appeared too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Xu Hei detonated them.
Would Xu Hei just stand still and wait for them to surround him and set up their formation?
Ridiculous! He did it on purpose because his formation was buried right there!
"Not good! Retreat quickly!"
"It's an ambush!"
Yin Mingzi exclaimed in shock, immediately retreating, and all the elders fled desperately, but it was too late. One by one, lights flashed, and earth-shattering waves erupted instantly.
The Nine-square Killing Formation was a formation Xu Hei comprehended inside the Xuan Yin Tower, with nine formations combined into one, especially the final Five Elements Killing Formation being the most formidable.
The Snake Catchers Sect had been suspicious, but these formations had their aura concealed by Hei Huang, making them completely undetectable.
They couldn't imagine how a snake could set up so many formations in such a short time!
"Boom boom boom boom boom..."
For a moment, thunder and lightning roared, earth fire erupted, fierce winds shredded, and underworld soil decomposed... Various formation attacks appeared in all directions, and the group of elders suffered a brutal assault, each vomiting blood as their magical treasures shattered one after another.
The so-called Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation, meant to restrain Xu Hei, was just halfway formed before being completely destroyed by these killing formations. Not a single chain remained, blown into nothingness by the Five Elements Killing Formation.
At this moment, Yin Mingzi's face turned as black as coal.
The Snake Catchers Sect had rich experience in catching snakes, but damn it, was this a snake?
What happened to capturing him with ease?
Looking at their sect leader Xu Qingzhi, his face was as dark as could be.
"Whoosh!"
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Xu Hei's figure vanished on the spot, turning into a shadow, charging at an early-stage Core Formation elder. With their formation scattered, now was the perfect time to take them down one by one.
This unnamed elder immediately summoned an ancient gourd, which spewed out a halo. In an instant, a vortex-like force field appeared around him.
As Xu Hei approached, it felt like he was trapped in a quagmire, unable to move, especially targeting his snake-like form. This was also a magical treasure designed to bind snake demons.
Unfortunately, Xu Hei's Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique had surpassed the fourth level, long since ignoring such restraints. After just a brief pause, he charged in again, completely unaffected by the vortex-like force field.
"Sect Leader, save me!"
The unnamed Elder A let out a piercing scream, the gourd shattered, and the vortex force field expanded more than tenfold, yet it couldn't stop the bloodthirsty Xu Hei.
Countless magical treasure halos appeared on Elder A, attempting a desperate struggle.
Xu Hei opened his crimson maw, swallowing the man and all his magical treasures whole, his belly bulging like a balloon.
Immediately, he refined them swiftly within the Demon God Cauldron, absorbing everything cleanly.
Xu Hei spat out the elder, now reduced to a withered husk, his Golden Core, flesh, and all the energy absorbed by his cultivation technique completely devoured by Xu Hei.
From start to finish, it took only a single breath.
"Humans taste disgusting!"
Xu Hei cursed; it had been a long time since he had swallowed a person whole.
The last time he ate a human was the last time, but the snake catchers disgusted him to the core. He wanted to extract their bones and refine their marrow, making them suffer the tortures of hell.
"Kill!"
Xu Hei once again used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, charging at the second unnamed Elder B.
"Boom!"
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A loud noise echoed from the sky as Xu Qingzhi could no longer hold back, wielding the Dragon Slaying Sword, slicing through the air, forming a massive blood-colored blade light, descending from the heavens to sever Xu Hei.
"Hey, hey! Do you think I don't exist?"
Another Xu Qingzhi sneered, swinging his Dragon Slaying Sword, producing the same blood-colored blade light, intercepting in the void. After mutual annihilation, he slashed at Xu Qingzhi's neck again, ensuring that if he attacked Xu Hei, his head would roll.
Xu Qingzhi's face turned ashen, forced to engage in direct combat, and soon they were locked in a fierce battle.
Meanwhile, the Fifteenth Ancestor and another Fifteenth Ancestor merely stood in the sky, gazing at each other without moving, neither seeming inclined to take action.
However, the Fifteenth Ancestor's face was exceptionally grim, a large seal appearing in his hand, only to be put away again.
"The fake inner demon created by this mirror must have a time limit. Once the time is up, it will break without attack. Why waste energy?" the Fifteenth Ancestor speculated internally.
Two breaths later.
The second Elder B was also swallowed by Xu Hei, struggling for just one more breath. That compass-shaped magical treasure could disrupt Xu Hei's sense of direction, also designed to restrain snake demons.
Every snake catcher had magical treasures targeting snake demons, knowing his body structure and attack habits as if they were second nature. This infuriated Xu Hei, making him feel nauseated from the depths of his heart.
Xu Hei spat out the drained Elder B.
"Disgusting, your taste is too disgusting!"
Xu Hei flicked his tail, shooting towards the nearest third person, named Liu Dun, whose cultivation had reached mid-stage Core Formation, unlike the previous two he had killed. He was a poison master specializing in snake venom.
With a wave of his hand, Liu Dun scattered a large amount of poison powder, forming a toxic net that covered every inch of space, easily penetrating a snake's body.
The Bone-Eroding Powder could instantly soften snake bones, rendering them powerless.
"Sacrificing two people to capture you is still within acceptable losses!"
Liu Dun thought to himself. He had long anticipated that this mission wouldn't go smoothly and that sacrifices were inevitable.
"Poof!!"
In the next second, his lower half was shattered by Xu Hei's strike, his Golden Core clamped in Xu Hei's mouth.
"This..." Liu Dun's thoughts quickly scattered.
He couldn't understand why his Bone-Eroding Powder had no effect!
The time he lasted wasn't even a single
breath, shorter than the previous two!
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