Chapter 19 - ch 260-68

Wow!"

Suddenly, Liu Dun's skin sprouted scales, his eyes turned into vertical pupils, and he completely lost consciousness. The remaining half of his body rapidly elongated, his spine transforming into a tail that extended outward.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Dun had turned into a giant python.

The python's face still faintly retained Liu Dun's features, but its eyes were devoid of emotion, filled only with a mad killing intent.

"Elder Liu has succumbed to the snake sacrifice!"

Voices of shock echoed around.

Snake Catchers, who cultivate using snakes, have remnants of snake demon pollution within them. Once they lose the suppression of their cultivation, this pollution spreads throughout their body, causing them to transform into snakes, hence the term snake sacrifice.

Only elders with profound cultivation or those deeply polluted might experience a snake sacrifice.

"Hiss!"

Liu Dun opened his massive mouth, his venomous fangs lunging at Xu Hei, his body coiling around him. Xu Hei's dragon scales bristled, instantly piercing Liu Dun with countless wounds.

"Die!"

Xu Hei thrust his head forward, his horn piercing through Liu Dun's skull, creating a large hole. Liu Dun let out a shrill scream as he plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground.

"Mid-stage Core Formation, truly not easy to deal with..."

Xu Hei thought to himself. At the same time, countless snake-shaped flying swords shot towards him from the sky, clashing against his dragon scales with a clanging sound.

Simultaneously, a large number of snake shadows surged out like raindrops, completely enveloping Xu Hei.

The remaining two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, Yin Mingzi and Red Fang, quickly adjusted and launched a fierce attack on Xu Hei.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The snake shadows exploded around Xu Hei, releasing a large cloud of black mist that could obscure divine sense and corrode flesh. These were talismans refined using venomous snakes.

Gradually, the other cultivators also adjusted, immediately forming a battle formation to launch an offensive against Xu Hei.

One magical treasure after another was thrown out, and various spells to counter snake demons were continuously unleashed.

Xu Hei immediately summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, placing it in front of him to block all attacks. The pagoda shook violently, and Xu Hei was blasted backward.

"Everyone, don't hold back! Use whatever trump cards you have! Can our Snake Catchers Sect not handle a single snake?"

"Even a flood dragon must be brought down!"

Yin Mingzi shouted, and the morale of the crowd was immediately boosted.

One must admit, the Snake Catchers Sect, with its countless years of inheritance, indeed had some means.

Initially caught off guard by the formation, losing two people and one to a snake sacrifice, Xu Hei had taken them by surprise. But soon, they adjusted.

"Dragon Binding Rope!"

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"Eight Extremes Thunder Seal!"

"Yellow Springs Swamp!"

Another round of spells descended upon Xu Hei, trapping him in the Yellow Springs, striking him with thunder, and binding him with the Dragon Binding Rope. Even with his physical body, he suffered significant injuries.

Especially those two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, each strike brought immense pressure to Xu Hei.

"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"

Xu Hei unleashed his full speed, his form turning into countless afterimages as he charged forward. But the light ahead suddenly twisted, causing Xu Hei to lose his sense of direction and miss his target.

In the air, illusions of the Yellow River appeared, greatly disrupting his vision.

This was a magical treasure specifically targeting movement techniques, the Nine Bends Yellow River.

"Thud!"

Suddenly, a massive seal slammed into Xu Hei's back with tremendous force, causing him to spit blood and stumble forward, taking another heavy blow.

Xu Hei glanced back, spotting the assailant hidden among the Foundation Establishment cultivators. It seemed to be a woman, with a sinister smile on her lips.

"The Thirteenth Ancestor?"

Xu Hei instantly realized that a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn't possibly harm him. It could only be the Thirteenth Ancestor who had snatched the woman's body.

"Keep attacking! Don't give him a chance to breathe!"

"Don't stop!!!"

The next second, a new wave of attacks descended. The opponents timed it perfectly, the remaining seven taking turns to attack, not giving Xu Hei a moment's respite.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Heavenly thunder and earthly fire, the ground shook and mountains trembled. The mountain Xu Hei stood on was blasted open, creating a thousand-foot abyss. The destructive power of Core Formation cultivators was enough to shake a mountain.

"Mountain Severing Abyss!"

Xu Hei shouted, and the mountain beneath him rose, forming a massive serpentine mountain range that charged towards the crowd.

This giant serpent was several times larger than any Xu Hei had previously summoned, blocking out the sky like a prehistoric beast!

However, the opponents had already calculated for this move.

"Earth Dissolution Technique!"

Elder Bing clapped his hands on the ground, and the mountain serpent's body collapsed, disintegrating into rubble that fell like rain.

Xu Hei then used Falling Stars and Mountain Embrace Seal, but all were easily countered.

Every spell and technique Xu Hei had used before had been anticipated by the opponents, who had prepared countermeasures.

Even every magical treasure and talisman he had used, including the Small Teleportation Talisman, had been guarded against in advance, everything calculated to the last detail.

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The only thing that exceeded their calculations was the initial formation, which caught the Snake Catchers Sect off guard.

But the subsequent developments were all within the sect's control.

"Give up struggling, today you will surely die!" Yin Mingzi shouted.

"I know you still have a puppet, the Zhou Family ancestor's Blood Killing Sword, Blood God Armor, Soul-absorbing Flag, and Xu Qingfeng's Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, but they're all useless!"

"Xu the Butcher, you've been seen through! You're at the end of your rope!"

The crowd continued their verbal assault while relentlessly casting spells.

Metal, earth, wood, all Five Elemental spells were used, anything that could counter snake demons.

Xu Hei didn't know how many attacks he had endured. Even with dragon scales protecting him and a strong physique, it was hard to withstand so many assaults.

In a one-on-one fight, Xu Hei could easily defeat any of them, killing one in two breaths.

But together, they produced an effect greater than the sum of their parts.

These elders were no longer the riffraff of Myriad Serpent Valley; they were the core elder group of the Snake Catchers Sect! A total of ten, each having lived for over a hundred years, experienced and coordinated, having rehearsed countless times against Xu Hei.

Any one of them could rival the likes of Xuan Yangzi, each a renowned expert in their own right.

At this moment, the entire sect joined forces against Xu Hei, holding nothing back, giving him the utmost attention!

"Almost, almost!"

Xu Hei continued to endure the attacks, his flesh splitting, his internal organs severely injured. But as the attacks continued, the True Qi within him was being compressed.

In a daze, he returned to the martial arts school in Wuyou City.

Mr. Bai, holding a stick, beat him black and blue, day after day of severe injuries, forging Xu Hei's spirit and will to be harder than steel.

In his mind, he saw Bai Qiushui falling again and again, only to rise each time.

"The more you get beaten, the stronger you become. So this is the essence of the Diamond Suppression Technique!"

Gradually, Xu Hei's skin began to emit a golden light, producing a metallic clang, a sign of True Essence being refined to the extreme.

Yin Mingzi, holding a black snake sword, pointed it forward.

The snake sword flew out, instantly striking Xu Hei's vital point, blood bursting forth as Xu Hei plummeted from the sky, creating a snake-shaped crater on the ground.

"No matter what tricks you have, today, not even the gods can save you!"

Yin Mingzi didn't dare approach recklessly. He raised his hand, and the black snake sword shot out again, aiming to decapitate Xu Hei, refusing to stop until his head was severed!

The others' attacks continued unabated, determined not to stop until Xu Hei was reduced to pulp.

"Heh, the outcome is decided. This snake has no strength left to struggle, not even a sound."

Xu Qingzhi sneered coldly.

The inner demon in front of him also sneered, slashing at him with a blade, forcing Xu Qingzhi to parry.

But just as Xu Qingzhi finished speaking.

"Roar!!!"

A resounding dragon roar echoed through the heavens and earth, spanning a thousand miles, directly targeting Elder Bing, Xu Hei's long-prepared killing move, Dragon Shatter Roar!

This wasn't a traditional spell but a dragon clan's ultimate technique!

When True Essence is compressed to the extreme, the power of Dragon Shatter Roar skyrockets, a perfect fusion of physical body and spell.

This strike pierced the sky!

"Boom!!"

Elder Bing, thirty miles away, didn't even have time to grunt before his body exploded, turning into fragments that rained down from the sky.

After obliterating one, Dragon Shatter Roar spread out from the center, instantly severely injuring the two nearby. Their eyes burst, blood flowed from their orifices, and their magical treasures exploded one by one.

Everything happened too quickly. The others were still in a daze when one was dead, and two were severely injured.

"I wonder if you anticipated this strike!"

Xu Hei climbed out of the pit, his body now radiating golden True Essence, coating his skin. This compressed True Essence elevated his physical strength to the extreme.

"This is..."

Yin Mingzi's pupils contracted to a point.

Xu Qingzhi also showed a look of horror, a storm raging in his heart, unable to believe his eyes.

"This is the Diamond Suppression Technique? How is it possible? Besides that Qin Kingdom God of Slaughter, how could anyone else have learned it?" Xu Qingzhi was shocked beyond measure.

Even more astonishing was that Xu Hei's cultivation technique seemed more orthodox and purer than that of the God of Slaughter.

"Whoosh!"

Xu Hei vanished on the spot, without a sound of breaking wind. The next second, Xu Hei was right in front of them, his speed ten times faster than before!

From a distance, Xu Hei thrust his horn forward, the compressed True Essence within him pouring out madly through it!

"Boom!!"

A thunderous sound echoed, as if the void itself was being pierced.

Despite the distortion of light, the entire space ahead was covered by this strike.

"Boom, boom, boom!!"

Terrifying shockwaves soared into the sky, sweeping across the heavens, shattering clouds, collapsing the earth, and disintegrating mountains. Xu Hei's strike from afar created a scene of apocalyptic destruction.

Elder Ding and Elder Wu in front were instantly obliterated by the horn, not even knowing how they died.

The remaining Yin Mingzi and Red Fang spat blood, their faces pale as they were blown away, their inner terror beyond words.

Legends spoke of those whose physical bodies had reached sainthood, capable of breaking the void with a punch, shattering the heavens with a kick.

No need for spells, their physical body was the strongest spell!

However, such powerful beings existed only in ancient legends. In later generations, body cultivators had long vanished.

Though Xu Hei hadn't reached such an exaggerated level, Xu Qingzhi sensed a hint of that potential.

/////261////

"How could this happen?"

Xu Qingzhi was completely numb.

He thought everything was under control, but unexpected events kept occurring one after another.

Out of the ten Core Formation stage elders, six were dead, two were severely injured, leaving only Yin Mingzi and Red Fang still holding on. Such losses were unbearable for them!

"Did you jinx it? Every time you speak, the situation turns around. Haven't you noticed?"

Xu Qingzhi's inner demon sneered mockingly.

"Shut up!"

Xu Qingzhi, both angry and ashamed, drew his sword and charged forward.

"Master, take action! If we can slay the true inner demon, a fake one is nothing."

Xu Qingzhi's eyes shone with astonishing light, his aura continuously rising, seemingly about to form a suppression.

The Fifteenth Ancestor hesitated initially, but upon hearing Xu Qingzhi's words, he immediately summoned a coiled serpent seal and hurled it at the inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor.

"Boom!!"

Unexpectedly, the inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor offered no resistance, took a heavy blow, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying.

Seeing this, the Fifteenth Ancestor was stunned, while Xu Qingzhi laughed wildly, "Hahaha, it seems your inner demon is nothing! Let's finish him off first, then join forces..."

Before Xu Qingzhi could finish his sentence.

"Boom!!"

A black lightning bolt erupted from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor's crotch.

"Ow!" The Fifteenth Ancestor let out a miserable scream, was struck into the sky, his entire body charred, hair standing on end from the electricity.

Meanwhile, the other inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor smirked and said, "Who said an inner demon has to follow your script? Can't it have a bit of creativity?"

As he spoke, he stomped, and another black lightning bolt shot from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor.

"Boom!!"

The Fifteenth Ancestor was struck skyward, his body scorched, hair burned to a crisp, his red robe turned black, and even his arm was severed.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

A late-stage Core Formation Fifteenth Ancestor was being beaten by an inner demon?

In a corner, a female Foundation Establishment cultivator in the crowd watched the familiar scene in the sky, her eyes nearly popping out.

"Yin Thunder Formation?"

Her pupils contracted, then she jumped in rage, gritting her teeth, "Damn it! It's that old dog!"

This woman was Shen Qingzhu, who had been possessed by the Thirteenth Ancestor, and the reason for her downfall was being struck by the Nine Nether Yin Thunder Formation.

She recognized it at once; it was the same formation that had attacked her, and she had suffered greatly from it!

Now, the Fifteenth Ancestor was also suffering, struck repeatedly by the Yin Thunder from above and below, with no chance to fight back. He hid inside a pagoda, but the pagoda was soon shattered to pieces.

The Thirteenth Ancestor cursed inwardly, what nonsense inner demon, it was that wretched old dog in disguise!

That old dog kept claiming to be four hundred years old and unwilling to fight, but was secretly setting up a formation, fooling everyone. They had believed him wholeheartedly, how absurd.

"Boom!!!"

Another thick Yin Thunder bolt erupted from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor, sending him soaring nine thousand miles into the sky before crashing down like a dead dog.

Xu Qingzhi was anxious but could only watch helplessly.

"Hey, hey, what did you just say? Truly, your words have power." Xu Qingzhi's inner demon sneered.

At this moment, everyone in the distance felt an urge to curse.

In the brief moment Xu Qingzhi was stunned, the inner demon seized the opportunity to slash out, the blood-red blade light like a devouring claw, striking his chest, leaving a deep gash, blood bursting out, even breaking his ribs.

"Bang!!"

Xu Qingzhi was sent flying, crashing into a mountain, causing it to collapse.

"Hey! Can you show some respect? I'm right in front of you, and you dare to look elsewhere, I feel discriminated against!" The inner demon mocked.

"It's over!"

Everyone's hearts sank.

The sect leader was injured, now things were really bad.

If Xu Qingzhi lost to the inner demon, the Snake Catchers Sect would be utterly defeated, with no chance of recovery!

"Bang!!"

Xu Hei and Yin Mingzi collided with great force, both sent flying, Yin Mingzi's body felt like it was falling apart, Xu Hei's skin was torn, blood dripping, but his eyes grew fiercer.

"Again!"

Xu Hei consumed a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine and a handful of Rejuvenation Pills, without pausing for even a second, shot up again like a storm, his body like a whirlwind, charging towards Yin Mingzi and Red Fang with pure physical strength.

Yin Mingzi took two breaths to recover, hurriedly summoned a handkerchief, wrapping it around Xu Hei's body like a ghostly cloak.

At that moment, Xu Hei lost his sense of direction again, but relying on his memory, he charged forward!

"Boom!!"

The handkerchief was pierced with a large hole, the shockwave piercing the sky, and in the distance, Yin Mingzi and Red Fang's bodies shattered, flying backward, both with large holes in their bodies.

Especially Red Fang, half her body was nearly gone, barely clinging to life.

Ten Core Formation stage elders, all snake catchers meant to restrain snake demons, besieging one Xu Hei, yet ended up in such a miserable state.

No one expected this outcome.

Including the sect leader and two ancestors, nearly the entire sect was mobilized, only to be beaten thoroughly, leaving everyone with a sense of defeat.

"Grand Elder, the rest is up to you, you must slay him!"

Red Fang's eyes showed determination, she raised her only remaining hand, pointed at her forehead, and blood-red dragon scales appeared on her skin, her body elongated, legs transforming into a snake tail, arms retracting into her body, turning into a giant red python in an instant.

A blood-red horn also appeared on her head.

"Elder Red Fang has also performed the snake sacrifice!"

The Foundation Establishment disciples witnessing this from afar all turned pale.

Three mid-stage Core Formation elders, two had performed the snake sacrifice, leaving only the Grand Elder.

"Hiss!!"

Red Fang opened her mouth wide and lunged, Xu Hei swung his tail, sending her flying high, crashing to the ground, creating a thousand-meter deep pit.

"Damn!" Xu Hei's heart sank.

He realized his strength was waning.

At first, he could easily kill two people with a single strike. But now, even with all his might, he couldn't destroy a single snake, which only meant his true essence was running low.

Without the reinforcement of the Diamond Suppression Technique, his physical strength would drop significantly.

This battle was the toughest Xu Hei had ever faced.

"Hiss hiss!"

Red Fang struggled to climb out of the pit, opened her giant mouth, and sprayed venom.

At the same time, Yin Mingzi used all his strength, six black snake swords shot out, transforming into ravenous ghosts, biting at Xu Hei's flesh.

"Bang bang bang..."

Xu Hei's skin erupted with countless black lights, he fell halfway from the sky, then forcibly stopped.

At this moment, the six black swords clung to his body, trying to burrow into the gaps of his dragon scales, aiming to devour his flesh.

"He's almost done, give it all you've got! Everyone, attack together!" Xu Qingzhi shouted.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

From the distant crowd, three giant crossbow bolts shot out, brought by Foundation Establishment cultivators, aimed at Xu Hei, only now daring to fire.

These crossbows, ten meters long, could easily kill a demonic beast the size of an elephant. Originally meant to guard against Xu Hei's reinforcements, after all, last time in Myriad Serpent Valley, Xu Hei had called for Man Jin.

Now, they were all used against Xu Hei.

Xu Hei used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, dodging the first strike, but the bolts spun around, tracking him again, each bolt engraved with a soul-chasing symbol.

It truly was one man against a sect! Xu Hei's stamina was rapidly depleting, he felt he was nearing his limit.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

But at this critical moment, a mass of vines suddenly burst from the ground, like living creatures, wrapping around all the bolts, immobilizing them.

"What's happening?"

Everyone was shocked, only to see the surrounding trees beginning to move.

"Bang!!"

A large tree swung its branches, smashing a crossbow into pieces.

A seemingly harmless flower suddenly mutated, its body swelling, transforming into a ferocious maw, swallowing a disciple whole, who let out a miserable scream, melting into bones in the blink of an eye.

/////262///

Bamboo shoots shot up wildly, transforming into sharp spikes that burst from the ground, piercing through a group of Snake Catchers.

A thousand-year-old willow tree, its branches like sharp swords, danced wildly in the wind, slicing off heads one by one.

Strange dandelions floated through the air, exploding wherever they landed, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

At this moment, the mountains were experiencing a massive plant eruption, with all vegetation turning into ferocious, man-eating monsters, attacking the Snake Catchers Sect.

Xu Hei was stunned.

This kind of attack seemed familiar, and only she was the most adept at it!

"Xu Bai?"

Xu Hei glanced around and looked at the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon.

"No choice, she insisted on coming out to help, so I had to bring her out," the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon said, shrugging.

At this moment, the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon no longer pretended, transforming into a dog-headed man, none other than Hei Huang.

As for the real Fifteenth Ancestor, he lay on the ground, charred and lifeless, having been struck down by Hei Huang. This left Xu Hei secretly amazed; after a year of seclusion, this dog seemed even stronger, with truly unfathomable methods.

Meanwhile.

Beside Xu Hei, lush green lotuses sprouted, emitting a gentle light that enveloped him, aiding in his rapid healing and accelerating the recovery of his true essence.

Xu Hei took a deep breath and regained his composure.

He looked into the distance and saw a giant cactus swiftly moving through the ranks of the Snake Catchers Sect disciples. Wherever it went, cries of misery followed, and many disciples were pierced by cactus spines. Xu Bai was hiding inside the cactus.

By now, Xu Bai had become a great demon capable of holding her own.

Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ji Ying, attack!"

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With a low command from Xu Hei, Ji Ying emerged from the dragon scales, another of Xu Hei's hidden aces.

Ji Ying finally appeared, letting out a joyful hum before shooting forward like a cannonball, shattering all six Black Snake Swords nearby, and then charging towards the stunned Yin Mingzi.

The snake-transformed Red Fang lunged at Xu Hei, eyes filled with crazed hatred.

Xu Hei showed no fear, using his last ounce of strength to open his mouth wide and bite down.

"Rip!"

Xu Hei bit down on her head and twisted fiercely, tearing off a massive snake head.

Red Fang spewed venom, drenching Xu Hei, her severed body still attacking him.

"Die!"

Xu Hei summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, swallowing Red Fang whole, absorbing her completely, leaving only a skeleton in the blink of an eye.

"Red Fang!!"

Yin Mingzi's eyes were filled with rage and despair as he let out a heart-wrenching scream.

At this point, two of the three mid-stage Core Formation elders of the Snake Catchers Sect had fallen, leaving only Yin Mingzi!

Of the seven early-stage Core Formation elders, five were dead, and two were seriously injured.

The core strength of the Snake Catchers Sect was utterly defeated!

However, Xu Hei was also at his limit, his true essence nearly exhausted, his body covered in wounds. Without the green lotus released by Xu Bai and the ancient Spirit Medicine, Xu Hei could have fainted at any moment.

Even though his dragon scales were intact, beneath them, he was already severely injured, his blood nearly drained.

Yin Mingzi was not in much better shape. Though he still had the strength to fight, after being entangled by Ji Ying multiple times, he had lost both ears, leaving him even more terrified.

"After a thousand years of catching snakes, I finally got bitten by one. Today, I've suffered a huge setback!"

Yin Mingzi sighed inwardly, making up his mind to retreat.

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But suddenly, he remembered Red Fang's dying wish.

Red Fang, even with her head severed, continued to attack Xu Hei, giving her all!

—She hoped he could kill Xu Hei and avenge her.

If Xu Hei wasn't slain, their sacrifices would be in vain!

Yin Mingzi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, his eyes filled with determination.

"You two, if you still have the strength to fight, don't hold back, join me in attacking!"

Yin Mingzi took out a blood-red pill and swallowed it in one gulp. Instantly, a blood-red giant python's shadow appeared behind him, his eyes turning into vertical pupils, his body igniting with blood-red demon fire, his aura soaring, approaching the late Core Formation stage.

The fierce demon fire swept out, even forcing Ji Ying back a hundred feet, unable to get close.

"That's the spirit of the Ancestor Serpent!"

The two severely injured Core Formation elders' pupils contracted, their bodies trembling as if inspired.

One of them took out a giant python statue, tore off his own arm, and directly sacrificed it to the statue.

The other burned his lifespan, chanting incantations, releasing a terrifying wave as if about to cast some forbidden technique.

Xu Hei immediately felt a sense of danger approaching.

Hei Huang frowned and cursed, "These old bastards, they're going all out. Xu Hei, if it doesn't work, we should retreat!"

Retreat?

Xu Hei's true essence was exhausted, barely able to move, how far could he escape?

Xu Hei said nothing, taking out a five-thousand-year-old ancient Spirit Medicine and swallowing it whole. Using the Demon God Cauldron, he forcibly refined it, causing a surge of violent true essence to flow through his meridians, making his whole body ache.

At this point, he couldn't worry about any aftereffects.

If the other side was going all out, he had no choice but to do the same!

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Blood God Armor, Blood Killing Sword, Soul-absorbing Flag, Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, Xu Hei summoned them all. Now, it was do or die, no turning back! He had no choice!

The only option was to kill the opponent, eliminating future threats. He didn't want to run anymore!

"Xu Hei, rest well!"

Suddenly, a powerful voice echoed from afar, resonating in his ears.

Xu Hei looked up to see a golden radiance flashing from the horizon, a giant elephant with gleaming golden light and sharp tusks.

—Man Jin!

Before even reaching him, a golden light shield enveloped Xu Hei, a metal element spell from Man Jin.

Additionally, a thunder lion stepped on lightning, riding the storm, descending from the sky in an instant, it was the Purple Lightning Lion King, Lei Meng!

There was also a mid-stage Core Formation old monkey king, an early-stage Core Formation wind eagle king, and an early-stage Core Formation old flood dragon, all arriving on the scene.

Behind them were their respective demonic beast armies!

Groups of demonic beasts approached, their steps shaking the earth, a thunderous sound like a thousand horses galloping.

"You all..." Xu Hei was struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.

These demonic beasts were the five great demon clans that once fought against the Four Sects Alliance, driven away for thousands of miles, now all present.

"Awooo!"

From afar, a loud wolf howl echoed through the mountains.

A wolf king, stepping on the verdant mountains, led a massive pack, quickly occupying a mountain peak.

Among the wolf pack, a black-and-white wolf watched Xu Hei and Hei Huang with burning eyes, filled with long-lost excitement.

This wolf was very familiar, none other than Er Gou, lost for many years.

A snake in distress, supported from all sides.

Xu Hei was no longer the lone fighter in Myriad Serpent Valley, battling the heroes, never to return home.

He had friends, these demonic beast friends, to lend him a hand!

"Xu Hei, rest well, leave the rest to us!" Man Jin said solemnly.

As he spoke, the golden shield around Xu Hei's body added eight more layers, no longer just an eggshell, but a thick golden wall, shielding him from wind and rain.

Man Jin stood before the golden shield, like a towering mountain, blocking Yin Mingzi and the others.

///263////

They've returned, all of them have returned!

Every demonic beast Xu Hei knew was present.

Looking at those familiar figures, Xu Hei was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't speak.

He had been prepared to fight to the death, but seeing the massive figure of Man Jin before him, Xu Hei exhaled and said, "Thank you... all of you!"

For the first time in his life, Xu Hei uttered such words.

In contrast, the members of the Snake Catchers Sect looked as if they were in a daze.

At this moment, Yin Mingzi's face was as dark as it could be.

"Where is the Four Sects Alliance? Where are our people?" Yin Mingzi raged impotently.

The demonic beasts had come to help, yet there was no movement from the Four Sects Alliance.

What he didn't know was that the Four Sects Alliance had always been reluctant about exploring the ruins. They had no share in the benefits but were expected to risk their lives first. Why would they sincerely act?

When the Divine Puppet Sect responded by pressing their entire army towards Wuyou City, the Four Sects Alliance lost all their utility.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a Core Formation cultivator who had just used a forbidden technique manifested a faint light in his hand, tearing open a rift with terrifying power and slipping into the space crevice, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"He ran away?!" The crowd was in an uproar.

Meanwhile, another cultivator who had sacrificed his arm to summon a snake statue rode on the snake's back, soaring into the sky at an astonishing speed, heading towards the horizon. The snake beneath him moved like the wind, covering thousands of feet in an instant.

Another one ran!

"Die, you scoundrel!"

Lei Meng shouted, spewing lightning that struck its target. The fleeing Core Formation cultivator was hit by the thunder, screaming in agony, and the snake beneath him let out a piercing wail.

The old monkey king swung a heavy club, striking him and instantly shattering him into pieces, flesh and blood flying everywhere.

He didn't manage to escape and was beaten to death!

With one main force dead and another fled, the remaining disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect turned pale, losing all will to fight.

Even Yin Mingzi felt the urge to retreat. The premise of fighting to the death was having a chance to kill the opponent, but now, what chance was there?

His eyes flickered, and with a gritted teeth, he took out a large boat made of snakeskin, boarded it, and fled far away.

He actually ran away too!

With so many elders dead, Yin Mingzi's heart bled, but he had no choice. Going up meant certain death. What else could he do?

In this battle, the Snake Catchers Sect had deployed more than half of its core strength, leaving only a few old immortals with little lifespan to guard the sect.

The high-level losses were severe, and the disciples below suffered equally.

This was the worst disaster for the Snake Catchers Sect in nearly two hundred years.

The old monkey king chased after Yin Mingzi, while the demonic beasts attacked the remaining disciples, mercilessly beating the fallen.

The people of the Snake Catchers Sect were utterly panicked, fleeing in all directions, either burrowing underground or taking out flying magical artifacts, using all means, their forces in complete disarray.

"Boom!!"

Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from a distant mountain stream, rocks flying, mountains exploding, and a blood-colored figure shot into the sky, wielding a Dragon Slaying Sword, dyeing half the sky red.

It was Xu Qingzhi.

"Perfect timing!"

Inner demon Xu Qingzhi rubbed his hands together, hoisting the Dragon Slaying Sword, ready to engage in a great battle.

At this moment, Xu Qingzhi seemed to have made up his mind. His eyes were cold as he took out a mass of fresh red Flood Dragon blood.

With the Flood Dragon blood in hand, Xu Qingzhi's face was reflected in a crimson hue. He no longer hesitated and swallowed the blood in one gulp.

Originally, he wanted to personally kill Xu Hei, infusing his entire body with Flood Dragon blood to perfectly form a Nascent Soul.

But now, killing Xu Hei had become a luxury. Without breaking through the inner demon, he couldn't even get close!

Xu Qingzhi could only settle for the next best thing, using the Flood Dragon blood left by his ancestors to attempt forming a Nascent Soul. Although the success rate wasn't high, there was still a chance to enhance his cultivation and reach the pseudo-Nascent Soul level.

"Boom!!"

After consuming the dragon blood, Xu Qingzhi's body roared and vibrated, blood energy surging, forming a crimson wave that swept around, forcing the inner demon back a thousand feet.

"Oh? You think you're the only one who can break through?"

The inner demon also took out a drop of Flood Dragon blood, swallowed it, and his aura rose as well, forming a tornado that whipped up an even greater storm.

Xu Qingzhi's expression was cold and indifferent. Without saying a word, he stepped on the Dragon Slaying Sword, transforming into a long rainbow, flying towards the distance, ignoring the inner demon.

He needed to find a place to go into seclusion, wait for his realm to stabilize, and then come back to settle the score.

No matter what, he had to slay that Flood Dragon.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're ignoring me again. How many times have I told you, you think I don't exist, huh? I'm going to kill you!"

The inner demon shouted angrily, stepping on the Dragon Slaying Sword, chasing after Xu Qingzhi, also transforming into a long rainbow, and the two disappeared at the horizon's end.

This scene was reminiscent of how Xuan Yangzi had come.

With Xu Qingzhi's departure, the blood-colored clouds in the sky dissipated, and the oppressive crimson feeling vanished without a trace, along with the nausea and discomfort.

The dark clouds in the sky also disappeared, a thick cloud layer splitting open to let a warm ray of sunlight shine down, illuminating the Wu Mountain Range and the distant Wuyou City.

Xu Hei exhaled, feeling the world spinning, and collapsed.

He was too exhausted.

From returning to reality until now, he hadn't rested, from the Core Formation thunder tribulation to killing Li Si, and then to the battle with the Snake Catchers Sect, Xu Hei felt like he had been running with a boulder on his back.

When the pressure was lifted, the taut string snapped, and Xu Hei lost consciousness as soon as he hit the ground.

Before he fainted, he fell into a patch of green lotus, as if he were in a hibernating nest, comfortable and warm, putting his mind at ease.

This time, his slumber didn't last long.

Perhaps only a stick of incense, less than half an hour.

A rumbling explosion came from afar, shaking the heavens, as if the earth was being overturned, an indescribable surge of energy sweeping in from all directions, crashing into Xu Hei's mind.

The tremor was so intense that it forcibly woke Xu Hei from his slumber.

He slowly woke up, immediately alert, looking towards the distant valley.

That was where Wuyou City was located.

"What happened?"

Not only him, but all the nearby demonic beasts also looked towards Wuyou City, eyes filled with shock.

In the direction of Wuyou City, a dazzling white light appeared, blinding to the eyes, expanding rapidly from a single point until it enveloped the entire Wuyou City!

It was like a sun rapidly expanding, growing larger and larger, covering the entire Wuyou City.

"Boom!!!"

The tremor spanned the sky, leaving everyone deaf and nearly blind.

It was a cataclysmic disaster, akin to the end of the world.

Even from a great distance, Xu Hei felt an irresistible heavenly might, a sense of insignificance arising from the depths of his heart.

This was a thousand times more terrifying than a full-force strike from an Elemental Infant cultivator!

When the sun-like light disappeared, half of Wuyou City was gone, leaving only ruins and rubble.

Xu Hei was utterly shocked.

The scene just now replayed in Xu Hei's mind, etched into his memory.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

Countless dense cracks appeared in the surrounding space, torn open by a pair of large hands, and one by one, disheveled figures emerged from the rifts, falling to the ground.

These were the members of the Chu Tian Alliance.

Xu Qingfeng, Ah Yin, Ku Xuan, Zhang Tie, Zhao Wenzhuo, Xiao Chou, and in addition, two more figures.

One was Little Overlord Xiang Fei, whom Xu Hei had seen before.

The other emitted a white halo all over, obscuring his appearance, only his silhouette visible. His stature was as tall as a mountain, limbs robust, eyes like thunder, aura like a fierce tiger, exuding an imposing presence, with an air of lifting mountains.

The spatial rift just now was torn open by him with his bare hands.

With just one glance, one could feel the aura of a hero from this person, definitely a giant in his own right! Comparable to Qin Xuanji!

Xu Hei instinctively thought of one person—the leader of the Chu Tian Alliance.

After this person appeared, he glanced at Xu Hei, without any conversation, just nodded slightly.

Xu Qingfeng and the others also nodded in greeting to Xu Hei.

Xiao Chou glanced at Hei Huang, instinctively shrinking his neck, showing an awkward yet polite smile.

"Whoosh!"

A token shot over, landing in front of Xu Hei. This token was different from the previous one; it was personally given to him by the person suspected to be the leader.

After delivering the token, there were no extra words.

He took out a black cauldron, quickly enlarging it, and took the members of the Chu Tian Alliance inside.

At this moment, a pair of majestic eyes appeared in the sky, peering down from the clouds, like a human emperor in the world, reigning over all, overlooking all beings, with an irresistible imperial might.

Just a glance would make an ordinary person tremble with fear, not daring to meet its gaze.

However, the hero before them merely glanced calmly at those eyes, saying indifferently, "He can be replaced!"

After saying this, the black cauldron carried everyone, soaring into the sky, heading towards the horizon.

Before leaving, Xu Qingfeng cupped his fists and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, Chu territory is no longer a place to linger. The universe is yet to be determined, we shall meet again!"

The black cauldron tore through the void, disappearing into the sky.

And those eyes filled with imperial might merely scanned the ruined Wuyou City before disappearing, as if it were all just an illusion.

Hei Huang said, "No need to look, this place is not suitable for staying, we should leave too!"

This indeed wasn't a place to linger.

Xu Qingzhi, who had left, might return at any time, and who knew what level of cultivation he would have reached by then.

With Xu Hei's current strength, he couldn't contend with the Great Perfection of the Golden Core.

Hei Huang whistled, and the wolf king immediately ran over. Hei Huang mounted it directly.

Xu Bai also crawled over, using a cactus to support Xu Hei on her back.

Er Gou followed along, looking at Xu Bai with a somewhat fearful gaze.

Back then, Er Gou had eaten Xu Bai's pills like meals, resulting in various mutations. Fortunately, he wasn't poisoned to death. Later, he joined the wolf clan of the Wu Mountain Range and became a young master.

Although still pathetically weak, only at the Foundation Establishment level, a three-colored mixed spiritual root breaking through to Foundation Establishment was already a great fortune.

"Thank you, Boss Bai," Er Gou said, shrinking his neck in gratitude.

Xu Bai smiled and said, "I've just developed a Longevity Pill and need a few testers. Do you want to try it?"

"No, no, Boss Bai's kindness is more than enough, I can't bear it," Er Gou shivered in fear, quickly retreating.

"Humph! Ungrateful!" Xu Bai rolled her eyes.

/////264////

"Boss Hei, which way are we going?" the wolf king asked.

"To Yanluo River!" Hei Huang replied.

"Yes!" The wolf king obediently carried Hei Huang, sprinting towards Yanluo River.

Xu Hei had serious doubts whether this wolf king had also been subdued by Hei Huang, as he looked at Hei Huang with a mix of awe and respect.

Xu Hei was also being carried by a giant cactus, soaring into the sky. This cactus was enormous, like an oval-shaped airship, carrying the black and white snakes.

It seemed that the demonic beasts like Man Jin, Lei Meng, and the giant serpent had learned of Xu Hei's departure and were following along to see them off.

The old monkey king, who had been chasing Yin Mingzi, also returned and joined the group.

Throughout the journey, Xu Hei remained silent.

His mind kept replaying the scene he had just witnessed—a rapidly expanding point of light that destroyed half of Wuyou City. Who could have launched such an attack?

It wasn't the Human Emperor. Although he was the ruler of Qin Kingdom, he didn't possess such power.

Nor could it have been the Elemental Infant ancestor, as an attack from someone at the Elemental Infant stage wouldn't be this terrifying.

"The opponents of Wuyou City are even more formidable than I imagined!" Xu Hei sighed inwardly.

His own power was still too insignificant, not worth mentioning compared to the true might of heaven and earth.

At least he could see the Human Emperor's eye.

But the master of that attack—he didn't even have the qualification to discover them. The gap was so vast that he wasn't even worthy of a glance.

Xu Hei didn't bother asking Hei Huang about it. Such questions were meaningless and would only add to his worries.

"Xu Bai, why do you use a cactus as a weapon?"

Xu Hei looked towards the front of the cactus, where Xu Bai was coiled.

"Aren't humans supposed to fly on swords? I don't have a sword, so I have to use something pointy," Xu Bai replied.

"So, can you stop poking me with that pointy thing?" Xu Hei said.

"Ah? Sorry!"

Xu Bai exclaimed, and the cactus's spines immediately retracted.

At this moment, Xu Hei seemed to recall something and asked the old monkey king about the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord was supposed to intercept the Heavenly Puppet Sect, so why didn't he appear later? He was a being with earth-shattering cultivation!

The old monkey king didn't know much about the Demon Lord, only sharing some rumors he had heard.

"In ancient times, the Demon Lord made an agreement with the City Lord of Wuyou to intercept the people of the Divine Puppet Sect."

"However, the Demon Lord has lived too long, surpassing the limits of the world's rules, and must make some sacrifices, such as... giving up parts of his memory."

"The Divine Puppet Sect exploited this rule, greatly limiting the Demon Lord. His situation is likely very dire."

The old monkey king's expression was extremely grave.

The Demon Lord was considered the guardian deity of the Wu Mountain Range and the entire demonic beast territory. If something happened to him, the demonic beasts would have a hard time.

Without the Demon Lord, humans could expand recklessly, invading the demonic beast lands.

Deforestation, mountain burning, city building—the natural environment would be utterly destroyed. Humans would expand infinitely, while demonic beasts could only retreat infinitely.

"What should we do?" Xu Hei couldn't help but ask.

The old monkey king just sighed, "I don't know the specifics. These matters can only be addressed by the demon emperors at the Demon Infant stage."

Hei Huang sneered, "Little Xu, don't think too much. You've just formed your core; this isn't something you can concern yourself with."

Xu Hei nodded.

Before long, the inner demon returned, silently slipping back into the mirror, leaving the demonic beasts exchanging puzzled glances.

...

With the demonic beasts' rapid flight, they reached the vicinity of Yanluo River by nightfall.

Ahead, beneath the cliffs, a mighty river surged, flowing from the distant horizon, its waves crashing and rolling towards the sea.

This was the largest river in the south, stretching from the west at Kunlun to the east at the East Sea, the river of life.

A fierce gale swept across the river's surface, unbearable for Foundation Establishment cultivators, only those at the Core Formation stage could withstand it.

The speed of the river was also unprecedented; without using spiritual power, a boat placed on it could reach the sea at the fastest speed.

Provided the boat didn't break.

This was Hei Huang's plan: staying in Chu territory posed risks not only from the Snake Catchers Sect but also from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, which would relentlessly pursue Xu Hei.

Before Xu Hei could protect himself, it was better to seek refuge overseas.

Once beyond a certain range, the Blood Source Tracking Technique would fail. The vast, boundless sea was the right place for Xu Hei.

"Brother Xu, I'll see you off here. Take care," Man Jin said solemnly.

Xu Hei pondered briefly and took out a millennium-old spiritual tree laden with fruits, offering it to him.

"How can I accept this?" Man Jin quickly declined.

"Brother Man Jin, don't be so polite! Consider these fruits a gift for your children," Xu Hei said earnestly.

Man Jin couldn't refuse and accepted it.

Xu Bai also took out some pills, distributing them among the demonic beasts present. Although their expressions were somewhat strange, especially Er Gou, who almost bolted, they still accepted them reluctantly.

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"Brother Xu, if you need someone taken care of, just say the word, and I'll be the first to do it," the hot-tempered Lei Meng said.

"Definitely!" Xu Hei nodded with a smile.

"Boss Xu, don't forget about me when you make it big!" Er Gou said.

Xu Hei took out a humanoid puppet and patted Er Gou's head.

"Hiss, you have the aura of an ancestor. Our snake clan welcomes you anytime," the old serpent said.

Xu Hei replied, "Next time I return, I'll help you flatten the Snake Catchers Sect."

Hei Huang walked to the riverbank, took out a watercraft, and placed it on the river. The boat raised a protective shield, blocking the fierce gale.

Xu Hei, Xu Bai, and Hei Huang boarded one after another.

Under the watchful eyes of the demonic beasts, the watercraft shot forward like an arrow, heading towards the distant, boundless sea.

On the shore, the demonic beasts stood watching. Er Gou raised his head and let out a long howl, and the other demonic beasts joined in, singing the song of the demonic beasts.

Amidst the song, Xu Hei sailed towards the sea, towards the vast, expansive world.

"Farewell, everyone, until we meet again!"

Xu Hei shouted, as the solitary boat drifted further away, leaving only the sound of the river wind in his ears. Unknowingly, the light boat had passed through countless mountains.

"Finally, I can rest."

Xu Hei lay drowsily on the watercraft, closing his eyes.

...

Deep within the Wu Mountain Range, by an unfathomable pool.

A vulture descended, landing on a crooked tree. It was Vulture Ku Ming, associated with the Chu Tian Alliance.

"Lord Demon, they've all left," Vulture Ku Ming said.

A ripple appeared on the tranquil pool, followed by a voice cursing.

"Damn it, those bastards finally left!"

On the pool's surface, the reflection of a bald youth appeared, cursing with a gloomy expression, seemingly harboring deep resentment.

"Demon Lord, please mind your image," Ku Ming said.

"There's no one else here, why should I care? I've held back for ten thousand years; do I have to pretend to be profound like some ancestors?" the Demon Lord cursed.

"Uh..." Ku Ming was speechless. "As long as you're happy."

"By the way! Tell me something interesting, like that Chu Tian Alliance. It's rare to have someone to talk to, so don't just stand idle."

The Demon Lord crawled out of the pool, revealing his bald youth form, hands on hips, staring at the vulture with keen interest.

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Ku Ming said, "This time, I won't talk about the Chu Tian Alliance. This time, I'll tell you about a bald snake."

"Bald snake? Great! I like that!" The bald youth's eyes lit up.

...

Near Yanluo River, in the Wu Mountain Range.

Han Te carried a bloodied white-haired youth on his back, sneaking through the bushes with cautious steps, not emitting a trace of aura.

In a few flashes, he reached the riverbank.

"Damn it! If the Bai Family wants to send someone, why don't they do it themselves? Why make me run errands, almost getting caught," Han Te grumbled with resentment.

He didn't want to offend the Heavenly Puppet Sect again; it was like looking for death with a lantern in a latrine!

If not for the Bai Family's generous offer, he wouldn't have done it.

This Bai Qiushui was a fool, causing trouble with Bai Luo for no reason, almost getting himself killed. Now, he had offended the Heavenly Puppet Sect, and there was no place for him in Qin Kingdom.

Of course, the Heavenly Puppet Sect didn't explicitly say they were after him, but the Bai Family wasn't foolish enough to bring him back for treatment openly, so they had to send him away secretly.

"I heard your name is Bai Qiushui, and today happens to be autumn. Sending you into the water, you shouldn't drown, right? Good luck."

Han Te reached the riverbank, ready to throw him in.

He hesitated, then took out an iron boat, placed it on the river, and tossed the half-dead Bai Qiushui into it.

Han Te originally intended to leave, but after feeling the storage bag given by the Bai Family, he couldn't bear it and jumped onto the iron boat.

"Fine, I'll do a good deed to the end. This time, I'll take a loss and find you a family. Consider it an extra service, put it on the tab."

Han Te steered the iron boat, speeding down the river, though his expression was one of great reluctance.

...

Tianji Shangren arrived at the outskirts of Wu Mountain.

As he was about to leave, he glanced back at Wu Mountain, sighed, and headed towards the distant human city.

Beside him was a middle-aged man. This man was unremarkable in appearance, with an equally unremarkable aura, a False Core cultivator, and his talent had stopped progressing long ago.

Liu Buqun, this was Tianji Shangren's "good brother."

"Old Daoist, did you find the child of destiny you mentioned?" Liu Buqun asked.

"Don't mention it, it was all for nothing. This is fate, the will of heaven, beyond human control!" Tianji Shangren sighed.

Liu Buqun's eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly, probing, "You weren't thinking of finding an inheriting disciple, were you? Since you didn't find a suitable one, how about me?"

Tianji Shangren glanced at him and said irritably, "Get lost!"

...

Yanluo River, with fierce gales and turbulent waters.

The watercraft carrying Xu Hei transformed into streaks of afterimages, heading towards a new world, towards the sea, a new journey.

The eagle soars in the sky, the dragon returns to the sea.

Xu Hei was about to enter the sea, embarking on a new chapter.

—End of Volume Two, Dragon Bone Chapter!

////265////

Day after day.

The turmoil in the Wu Mountain Range had subsided, and everything returned to normal.

Outside the imperial city of the Qin Kingdom.

A large pit had been dug here, and a group of alchemists were bound and thrown into it, huddled together back to back, trembling with fear, their faces pale.

Surrounding them were bundles of firewood, doused with flammable materials, ready to ignite at any moment.

A tall man, wearing a crown that reached the heavens and dressed in a black dragon robe, stood outside the pit. His eyes glowed like lightning, exuding an aura of dominance over the world. His gaze swept over the alchemists, and just one look made them shiver, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Is this the Longevity Pill you found?"

He held two emerald green pills in his hand, his voice full of authority.

One of the alchemists trembled and said, "I found this... in an ancient relic."

The Qin Emperor said nothing, waved his hand, and commanded, "Li Si, find someone to test the pill."

"Yes!"

Li Si, who had regained his physical form and looked pale, found a man to test the pill and had him take the Longevity Pill.

"Ah!!"

With a piercing scream.

The man who took the Longevity Pill rooted himself into the ground, sprouted branches and leaves from his head, and in full view, turned into a tree.

A human-shaped tree, three meters tall.

The entire place fell silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, as if they were dumbfounded, their heartbeats audible.

"Heh, very well, this is the Longevity Pill you wanted me to take!"

The Qin Emperor crushed the other Longevity Pill in his palm with a snap, nodding, "First assassins, now alchemists, there's always some treacherous people trying to harm me."

"Burn them, burn these traitors to death!"

"Yes!"

A torch was thrown into the pit, and the fire roared to life, filling the pit with screams of agony, as hundreds cried out in unison.

Li Si's mouth twitched at the sight.

These people were not Xu Qingfeng's fellow disciples, just a group of alchemists.

The Qin Emperor, with his unparalleled might, had swept through the six kingdoms, unifying the central plains, but unfortunately, the wars had drained his life force, leaving him with at most a decade or so to live.

Though he appeared mighty and unscathed now, when the time came, even the supreme Human Emperor would turn to dust.

Longevity, whether for mortals or cultivators, was an insurmountable barrier.

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The Qin Emperor had to find the Longevity Pill to extend his life.

In no time, the hundreds of alchemists in the pit were burned to ashes.

"Xu Fu!" the Qin Emperor called.

"At your service."

A plump man with a shiny face stepped forward, bowing slightly. Though his figure was stout, he exuded an ethereal aura, somewhat resembling an immortal.

"I command you to lead a team beyond the East Sea and find the elixir of immortality," the Qin Emperor ordered.

"At your command!"

Xu Fu accepted the order and withdrew.

...

Outside Chen Family Town in the Southern Region.

In the desolate wilderness, a young boy, covered in blood, was staggering through the forest, carrying a young girl on his back.

The boy's face was youthful, his hand gripping a dagger tightly. From behind, the growls of wolves and dogs could be heard. His face was pale, his lips tightly pressed, and a determined look flashed in his eyes.

"Qin'er, hold on, we're almost home," the boy gritted his teeth and said.

The boy was once Wang Xiaoniu, now Wang Ding!

On his back was his sister, Wang Qin.

The Wang siblings had been servants for the Chen Family, living a hard life but at least having food and shelter.

However, one day, a tyrant took a liking to his sister and wanted to take her as a concubine. The Chen Family accepted the tyrant's spirit stones and planned to send his sister away.

Wang Ding begged repeatedly, knelt, and kowtowed, but all he got was a severe beating. The tyrant even wanted to humiliate his sister in front of him.

Seeing Wang Qin about to be defiled by the tyrant, Wang Ding suddenly erupted with a surge of power and killed the tyrant with a punch.

This was a huge disaster!

The tyrant was the brother of a centurion in the Qin army, a cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage, someone even the Chen Family dared not offend, let alone Wang Ding.

To appease the Qin army's wrath, the Chen Family planned to bind the Wang siblings and hand them over to the centurion as an apology.

Wang Ding had no choice but to escape with his sister, both severely injured.

"I can't die, I can't fall!"

His consciousness began to blur, but he gritted his teeth, bit his tongue, and forced himself to keep moving forward.

Behind him, the sounds of hunting dogs grew closer, along with the curses of Qin soldiers.

The centurion's presence was also drawing near.

Wang Ding's vision was blurry, but his spiritual perception was exceptionally sharp. Even from thousands of meters away, he could sense the enemy's presence.

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This was his gift, one he had never told anyone about.

It was also the reason why, as an ordinary mortal, he had repeatedly evaded pursuit and escaped into the mountains.

However, he had been on the run for two days straight, his physical and mental strength at their limits. No matter how sharp his spiritual perception, there would come a day when it dulled.

"Brother, leave me, save yourself," Wang Qin's weak voice came.

"I will never leave you!" Wang Ding gritted his teeth.

Carrying Wang Qin, he continued to flee, unknowingly arriving at a village.

Snake Village.

This was his home.

Returning to the familiar thatched cottage, he vaguely remembered two years ago when he had tried to hang himself in his room, only to be saved by Old Snake. From that moment, his fate began to change.

Now, Old Snake was gone, and Wang Ding had reached a dead end.

He knew he couldn't hide from the Qin army here, but fleeing into the mountains was a death sentence, either killed by the Qin army or eaten by wild beasts.

His sister couldn't hold on any longer; he had to return home.

Wang Ding drew water from the well to clean his sister's wounds and his own, then found some dried herbs to apply to the injuries.

He also picked an uneaten watermelon from the melon patch and shared it with Wang Qin.

"Father, Mother, your son is unfilial."

He knelt heavily before the ancestral tablets.

Wang Ding took an iron shovel from the house and stood at the village entrance, in front of the stone stele.

In the distance, the Qin army quickly surrounded him.

"Well, this brat dares to come out. I'll kill him myself to avenge my brother!"

The centurion, a cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage, drew a large machete and approached Wang Ding without a word, aiming to slash at his neck.

Wang Ding showed no fear in his eyes, shouting as he swung the iron shovel.

The Qin soldiers sneered, thinking this peasant's move was suicidal against the centurion.

At that moment, the stone stele beside Wang Ding emitted a faint light.

Wang Ding didn't know.

This stone stele was the Reverse Cultivation Stele left by Xu Hei!

"Buzz!"

A sense of reverse cultivation surged into Wang Ding's sea of consciousness, making his eyes shine brightly.

In a daze, he felt as if he had become Xu Hei, with the will to slay immortals as a mortal!

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The iron shovel in his hand cut through the air, its power surging, slicing the machete in half, and with undiminished force, it pierced the centurion's chest.

"Splurt!"

The centurion was cut in half, blood gushing.

Before dying, disbelief lingered in his eyes. He couldn't believe he would die at the hands of a mortal boy, as if he had seen a ghost.

Everyone was stunned, the entire place fell silent.

...

A thousand miles outside Snake Village.

"Hmm?"

An old Taoist with an immortal aura stopped in his tracks, looking towards Snake Village.

Holding a horsetail whisk and stepping on a cloud, his eyes filled with surprise, it was Tianji Shangren.

"Reverse cultivation? Another child of destiny?"

Tianji Shangren's eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he flew towards Snake Village.

Behind him, Liu Buqun followed closely.

Soon, they arrived at Snake Village, seeing the stone stele at the entrance and the boy lying on the ground.

The boy had killed a centurion, and as the other soldiers swarmed him, he managed to kill two more. Ultimately, he was overwhelmed, cut down to the ground.

His arm was severed, his body bore multiple wounds, deep enough to see bone, and one cut nearly sliced him in half, leaving him on the brink of death.

"Father, Mother, little sister, see you in the next life."

Wang Ding closed his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks.

A large blade was about to fall on his neck, ready to kill him on the spot.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Suddenly, the Qin soldiers exploded into thin air.

Before Tianji Shangren could act, Liu Buqun had already moved, killing them like squashing ants, leaving no survivors.

"I know you cultivators can't afford karmic burdens, but I don't believe in that stuff. From now on, I'll handle the dirty work of killing!" Liu Buqun sneered.

Tianji Shangren remained silent.

He said nothing, immediately raising his hand, and Wang Ding's critical injuries stopped bleeding instantly.

The boy floated into the air, landing on Tianji Shangren's cloud.

Before losing consciousness, the boy vaguely saw an immortal standing before him.

"Save... my sister..."

Wang Ding managed to say before closing his eyes.

————

Consider this chapter an extra.

By the way, I'd appreciate some free gifts, just a little advertisement will do. I've never asked for gifts before, mainly because I'm worried about affecting the reading experience (especially with AI narration), but if I don't ask, many won't give.

I hope everyone can click on the ads to support the author. I'll try not to mention this in the future. Any unrelated content will be left for the summary at the end of the volume.

/////266////

In the dilapidated thatched hut.

Wang Ding and Wang Qin lay on the bed, their injuries somewhat healed. Scattered on the ground were torn paper figures, stained with blood.

Tianji Shangren stood by the bed, calculating something with his fingers, his brows deeply furrowed, his expression not looking good.

"What is it? Is this seedling not suitable?" Liu Buqun asked curiously.

"It's suitable, but..." Tianji Shangren hesitated, "Though he has great fortune, he's also a harbinger of doom, you understand what I mean?"

Liu Buqun widened his eyes and shook his head, "I don't understand."

These two terms were obviously contradictory, how could they be combined?

"This person lost both parents, and all those who befriended him, like the old hunter and his teacher, have died. Even the Chen Family that adopted him suffered great misfortune. Wouldn't you call that a harbinger of doom? Yet he also has great fortune, encountering benefactors and turning danger into safety," Tianji Shangren explained.

Liu Buqun immediately understood.

"Sigh!" Tianji Shangren sighed deeply.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Liu Buqun asked.

"What else can I do? Even though he's a harbinger of doom, he's still a bit better than you," Tianji Shangren replied.

Liu Buqun's mouth twitched slightly.

Could he stop being so harsh? After all, he was a False Core cultivator, yet he was being compared unfavorably to a mortal?

At this moment, Wang Ding slowly woke up. Seeing the two people in the room, he hurriedly ignored his injuries, got up from the bed, and knelt on the ground, kowtowing to them.

"Thank you, Immortal Grandfather, for saving me! Thank you for your life-saving grace!"

Wang Ding kept kowtowing, his forehead breaking open, crying tears of gratitude.

Liu Buqun and Tianji Shangren exchanged glances, both remaining silent.

Wang Ding stopped kowtowing, looked at the two, hesitated for a moment, and took out a land deed from under the bed.

"Immortal Grandfather, I, Wang Ding, have nothing but this ancestral home deed and two acres of melon fields. I now offer them to you."

Wang Ding presented the deed. The sages said to repay kindness, and since his life was saved, he had to repay it.

Liu Buqun's expression was strange, and Tianji Shangren was equally speechless.

What use was this?

Wang Ding had never interacted with immortals in his life and had no idea what they desired, but he could only offer his most precious ancestral home and melon fields.

"Who taught you your breathing exercise?" Tianji Shangren suddenly asked.

"This..." Wang Ding's expression froze.

It was Old Snake who taught him, but he would never reveal that, as Old Snake was also his benefactor.

"I'm sorry, Immortal Grandfather, I cannot divulge his information, as he too has saved my life," Wang Ding said, kneeling.

This answer was clearly unexpected for Tianji Shangren.

He could see that Wang Ding was strong and resilient, surviving severe injuries, which had a lot to do with that breathing exercise. It was not a simple breathing technique.

Since Wang Ding wouldn't say, he wouldn't force it.

"What is your name?"

"Junior Wang Ding, and that is my younger sister Wang Qin."

"Would you be willing to follow me to the East Sea?"

Tianji Shangren looked at him, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.

"The East Sea?"

Wang Ding had read books and knew what the East Sea meant. It was the end of the Yanluo River, an infinitely distant place that a mortal could never reach in a lifetime.

But he didn't hesitate, immediately kowtowing.

"I am willing, as long as you take my sister with us!"

Wang Ding had offended the Qin army and staying here would only lead to his execution, so he had to leave.

Despite the long journey, he might never return in his lifetime.

"Very well!" Tianji Shangren nodded.

Afterward, Wang Ding burned paper for his parents, took Wang Qin, and left Snake Village, leaving behind the hometown where he had lived for over a decade.

...

Yanluo River, estuary.

This place was the largest coastal city in the Eastern regions, Haiya City. As its name suggests, it stood like a pair of teeth on both banks.

With income from ocean industries, Haiya City ranked among the top in the Eastern regions in terms of economic power and the number of cultivators.

Today was the day for the return of ships from the sea, and many cultivators stood by the dock to welcome them.

The two major merchant guilds, the three great families, and all the notable forces gathered by the sea to celebrate this annual return day.

"Look, the ship is coming!"

"This time it must be a full load!"

Voices called out from the shore.

In the distance on the horizon, a giant sailing ship approached from afar, laden with sea fish, the Haijiao.

Following it was the whaling ship, the Hunter, specialized in hunting giant sea beasts.

Next came the mining ship collecting spiritual veins from the sea, and the oil ship gathering crude oil.

With each ship's appearance, cheers erupted from the shore, celebrating the triumphant return.

But gradually, the cultivators on the shore noticed something amiss.

Why were there no cultivators appearing on the ships?

Everyone focused their attention, only to see that all the decks of the ships were empty, filled with cargo but not a single cultivator.

Such an eerie scene silenced everyone on the shore.

The ships in the distance slowly approached.

Everyone exchanged glances, and immediately a middle-aged cultivator stepped onto a flying sword, soaring into the air, flying towards the approaching sailing ship.

Soon, he landed on the deck and entered the cabin.

Inside, there were traces of the crew's life—the formation in the cultivation room, the herbs in the pill furnace, all fresh, the pill furnace still warm, and freshly cooked sea fish on the table.

There was even a half-eaten spiritual fruit rolling on the ground.

"What happened?"

The middle-aged cultivator's pupils contracted.

It gave the impression that everyone had vanished into thin air in an instant.

Other ships were similarly inspected by cultivators, and the situation was the same—everyone had disappeared, but their belongings remained.

There were no signs of battle; everyone had vanished into thin air, with some in the middle of refining flying swords, gone before finishing.

The ships were in an unmanned state, yet they sailed automatically, uncontrollably.

Seeing such a bizarre scene, a sense of fear rose from the depths of everyone's hearts, making their skin crawl.

Everyone immediately retreated, leaving the eerie ships and returning to the shore.

Moments later.

A total of eight sea ships stopped at the estuary of Yanluo River, motionless. The positions of these eight ships were very deliberate, seemingly forming a formation, but no one could understand it.

From the crowd, an elder with an immortal demeanor stepped forward, staring at the positions of the eight ships, pondering deeply.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted, his face changed dramatically, and he pointed at the eight ships, shouting, "Quickly, destroy these eight ships!"

This person was a guest elder stationed in Haiya City from Penglai Island, highly respected, and his words were heeded by all.

"Yes!"

The numerous cultivators on the shore immediately launched the most ferocious attacks on the eight ships at the estuary, countless flying swords piercing through, various spells bombarding down.

Even the City Lord turned the city's cannons towards the sea ships, firing volleys of artillery, a barrage of cannon fire.

However, it was already too late.

"Buzz!!!"

A silent tremor spread across the river, making no sound, yet stirring up monstrous waves, with seawater pouring in and the world turning upside down.

Everyone vanished into thin air within the city.

A solitary boat drifted through the middle of the eight ships, causing no ripples, yet it too disappeared without a trace.

////267/////

Xu Hei had no idea how long he had been asleep on this journey.

His mind and body were utterly exhausted, only aware that the watercraft was speeding along the river day after day, crossing endless distant mountains and rivers.

Suddenly, the entire vessel jolted violently, as if it had entered a whirlpool, and the space around him began to shift.

After that, he completely lost consciousness.

...

Several days passed.

"Where is this?"

Xu Hei suddenly awoke with a start.

He found himself in a vast expanse of blue, with gentle waves lapping around him. He was at the bottom of a shallow sea.

Coral reefs and rocks were everywhere, along with some strange fish swimming back and forth. Sunlight filtered through the water, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.

He had arrived at the East Sea.

But Xu Hei had no interest in admiring such beauty.

Why was he in the sea, and where were the other two demonic beasts?

"Xu Bai? Hei Huang?"

Xu Hei looked around, extending his Divine Sense.

There was no trace of the two beasts nearby, and Ji Ying was as clueless as ever.

Xu Hei pondered for a moment and took out the token Hei Huang had left behind, which bore Hei Huang's Divine Sense imprint.

As soon as he took out the token, a phantom dog image emerged from it, standing upright with hands on its hips, looking at Xu Hei.

"What happened?" Xu Hei asked urgently.

"We hit a storm at sea, and the boat capsized," Hei Huang shrugged.

"You managed to capsize the boat?"

Xu Hei's eyes widened, speechless."We came across a teleportation array halfway through. I thought it could save us a lot of time, so I charged in. But the array was unstable, and the boat flipped," Hei Huang explained.

"..."

At that moment, Xu Hei was stunned for a while, suddenly feeling the urge to curse.

No wonder he felt the jolts and traces of spatial displacement before losing consciousness; so that was the reason.

"Old dog, can't you be a bit more reliable?" Xu Hei scolded.

"Hey, it's just a boat; capsizing is normal. Why make a fuss? You lack experience!" Hei Huang retorted.

Xu Hei's face turned dark.

He swore to himself that he would never let this old dog steer the boat again; it was utterly ridiculous.

"Where's Xu Bai?"

"She's fine. I wouldn't let her die, even if I did. You know what I mean," Hei Huang said with a wink.

"Then where did she go?" Xu Hei asked.

"I don't know. Probably ended up in the nearby sea like you. Look around, you might find her," Hei Huang replied.

Xu Hei was speechless once again.

This old dog never gave a straight answer. Xu Hei shook his head, intending to put the token away.

"By the way! I discovered a shocking secret. The person who set up the teleportation array seems to be planning something big. Heh, interesting. The East Sea might not be peaceful for long."

Hei Huang sighed.

Xu Hei was momentarily stunned, then angrily shouted:

"Riddler, go to hell!"

Xu Hei slammed his head against the dog image, causing Hei Huang to retreat back into the token.

Xu Hei spat in frustration, put away the token, and observed his surroundings.

Having been unconscious for an unknown period, Xu Hei felt weak all over, his stomach empty. After absorbing some Spiritual Qi from the sea, he shook his head and took out a piece of Spirit Medicine to chew on.

As soon as he took it out, it attracted the attention of many sea creatures.

The nearby fish and distant sea demonic beasts all turned their gaze towards him.

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Xu Hei quickly devoured the Spirit Medicine and refined it completely.

"What are you looking at? Keep staring, and I'll swallow you all!"

Xu Hei shouted, releasing a powerful aura that scared the nearby fish into scattering, not daring to come close.

However, a large shadow in the distance remained locked onto Xu Hei, unfazed by his aura.

The distance was too great for Xu Hei's Divine Sense to detect, but his keen instincts told him it was a big creature.

After consuming the Spirit Medicine, Xu Hei still felt unsatisfied and took some pills.

The weakness subsided somewhat, but Xu Hei felt something was missing.

"I haven't had meat in a long time. I need some demonic beast meat to replenish myself."

With that thought, Xu Hei set his sights on the distant shadow.

After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei swam towards the deep sea area.

Since reaching the Core Formation stage, he had rarely eaten demonic beast meat, relying on pills and breathing exercises to recover his energy. This was fine for ordinary cultivators.

But for a body cultivator, it was absolutely necessary!

Mr. Bai had advised him that body cultivation required a focus on replenishing blood and energy, which was the foundation of the body. While spell cultivation could do without meat, body cultivation required it.

Since Xu Hei had chosen the path of body cultivation, his diet had to change accordingly.

As Xu Hei dove into the deep sea, the light gradually dimmed, and the large shadow continued to follow him.

A normal Core Formation stage cultivator wouldn't have detected this creature, but Xu Hei's keen senses told him something was trailing him.

"Come on, this will be my first big meal since forming my core!" Xu Hei thought to himself.

Soon, Xu Hei dove into the deep sea area.

"Whoosh!"

In the next moment, a thick, massive tentacle shot out from the enormous shadow, which also approached at terrifying speed.

When Xu Hei turned to look, he saw an enormous octopus!

This was a completely different creature from the octopus he had encountered in the river. This beast's body alone exceeded fifty meters, and a single tentacle could extend three hundred meters.

No wonder it hadn't entered the shallow sea.

Such a massive body could only fully exert itself in the deep sea.

Xu Hei had anticipated this and deliberately entered the deep sea area. Even so, he was still shocked by the creature before him.

"I've heard there are hundred-meter-long whales in the sea, ordinary creatures with no cultivation, yet they have such size."

"And this great demon with cultivation is even more outrageous in size. Quite an eye-opener."

Xu Hei thought to himself.

Compared to it, he was like a tiny speck, not even as large as one of its tentacles.

"Perfect timing! Into my mouth!"

Xu Hei opened his mouth and inhaled, the Demon God Cauldron's suction power erupting. The tentacle that had shot towards him was swallowed whole, his stomach bulging.

"Refine!"

The Demon God Cauldron began to turn, and the tentacle shrank rapidly, growing smaller and smaller as a surge of immense blood and energy poured into Xu Hei's body.

Xu Hei was overjoyed; there was nothing like seafood, the taste was exceptional.

The octopus seemed to sense something and quickly retracted its tentacle, but the more it pulled, the more Xu Hei advanced, as if he had latched onto the tentacle.

The creature was decisive, severing its own tentacle.

"Slurp!"

The severed tentacle was slurped up like noodles by Xu Hei, refined completely, leaving nothing behind.

"Roar!!"

The octopus was enraged, its remaining seven tentacles flailing wildly, lashing towards Xu Hei. The sea water surged into towering waves, forming a water storm that swept out.

At the same time, it spewed a jet of ink, transforming into sharp blades that shot towards Xu Hei.

Xu Hei could tell that this creature's cultivation was only at the early Core Formation stage. It relied on its large size, making it slightly stronger than land creatures, but still far inferior to him.

Xu Hei didn't waste words with it. His figure flashed, and the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique was fully activated. Like an arrow piercing the sky, he charged headfirst, striking the octopus's head and penetrating it instantly.

"Die!"

A torrent of energy erupted, and the octopus's head was pierced through, killing it on the spot.

It died too quickly, without even a chance to beg for mercy. The creature had clearly underestimated Xu Hei's toughness.

It hadn't expected a land-dwelling horned serpent to be stronger than a sea creature!

Xu Hei looked at the octopus before him and shook his head.

Such a large corpse couldn't be stored in a Storage Bag without being cut into pieces. Only his largest Void Stone could barely contain it.

Xu Hei had no choice but to refine the corpse on the spot.

////268////

Despite the octopus's head being smashed by Xu Hei, its tentacles were still moving. Xu Hei summoned a flying sword and sliced one off.

"Slurp!"

Xu Hei bit into the tentacle, sucking it in one gulp, causing his body to swell into a giant stick. He quickly refined it, and his body shrank back down.

He reminisced about the past when he wouldn't dare approach a dead octopus, fearing it might come back to life. Now, he was so bold that he'd eat even a live one.

After swallowing two tentacles, Xu Hei bit into the octopus's massive head, devouring it bit by bit.

The Demon God Cauldron also refined with full force, and Xu Hei's vitality surged.

He felt his physical body strengthening, his meridians becoming more resilient, and his bones elongating. A new meridian was gradually extending from his head downward.

To open the dragon veins, one must clear nine new meridians, connecting them all.

By then, whether it was true essence or physical strength, it could be exerted to the fullest.

A true dragon can summon wind and rain and can also sanctify its physical body.

Xu Hei bit into the octopus's Golden Core, swallowing it in one gulp, crazily absorbing the true essence within and integrating it into his own body.

This process lasted an entire day.

After a day, Xu Hei finished eating the octopus's head and refining the Golden Core, reaching his peak state, full of energy and vitality.

Even better, he felt like he had grown a bit taller.

"Still, eating more meat is the way to grow!" Xu Hei sighed.

The remaining six large tentacles were stored in the Void Stone by Xu Hei as reserve food.

He didn't know how common such large octopuses were in the sea, but he figured it was best not to eat them all at once, lest he craves them later with none left to eat.

Xu Hei searched around the area but found no trace of Xu Bai. He took out the communication token she left behind, but it also showed no response.

Shaking his head, Xu Hei returned to the shallow sea area.

He created an external incarnation, left the sea surface, and soared into the sky, surveying the surroundings. For a thousand miles around, it was all vast ocean, with not a soul in sight, leaving him unsure of where to go.

However, a thousand miles away, Xu Hei spotted a small island.

"First, find a place to retreat."

Xu Hei immediately submerged and swam towards the island at full speed.

The island wasn't large, with a diameter of only about a hundred miles, which Xu Hei could circle in a few breaths.

Xu Hei applied an Invisibility Talisman and landed on the island. After checking the environment to ensure no one had been there, he dug out a cave dwelling and began setting up formations.

Since it was a place for retreat, Xu Hei couldn't be careless, lest any passing cultivator notices something amiss.

Before long, a shielding formation was completed.

Next, Xu Hei set up a defensive formation and an illusion formation, layering multiple formations together as a precaution.

Xu Hei let out a long breath.

"Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator passing by wouldn't notice this formation, unless a late-stage Core Formation cultivator scanned with divine sense, then they might detect something unusual," Xu Hei thought to himself.

He took out a pile of mechanism boxes from his storage bag and laid them on the ground. These were spoils from Wuyou City, which he hadn't had a chance to open yet.

Including the storage bags obtained from previous kills, he hadn't had time to check them either.

Finally, Xu Hei had the time now.

"Let's open some mystery boxes first." Xu Hei took out a mechanism jade, inserted it into a mechanism box, and it opened, revealing a glowing crescent jade stone.

The jade was entirely purple, with a restriction inside. As long as the wearer was attacked, it could raise a shield, serving as a defensive magical treasure.

Xu Hei put it away and proceeded to open the next one.

...

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On the sea surface.

A piece of driftwood floated over, with a figure hidden beneath it. The figure had purple hair, was covered in Invisibility Talismans, and wore a transparent cloak from a mechanism box, rendering the entire person transparent.

According to Hei Huang's standards, even a Great Golden Immortal wouldn't be able to detect it.

"I, Han Te, have really stepped in dog poop this year. How did I get so unlucky?"

"I just wanted to deliver someone. Who did I offend?"

Han Te cursed inwardly.

He carried Bai Qiushui, drifting downstream. The journey was smooth until they reached Haiya City, where he thought he had completed his mission perfectly.

Who knew, just upon reaching Haiya City, before he could dock, he was sucked away by a strange force.

From afar, he only saw eight ships suspended on the river, forming a formation.

Han Te used all his strength but couldn't escape the pull, getting sucked into the formation.

Later, he entered a teleportation channel, and luckily, a master broke the channel, allowing him to escape midway. Otherwise, who knows where he would have been sent.

It certainly wouldn't have been a good place.

Falling into the sea wasn't the end; he was then chased by a giant octopus. Fortunately, he had enough Invisibility Talismans to escape, fleeing all the way here.

"In this thousand-mile radius, there's only this one island. I'll retreat here first; I'm exhausted!"

Han Te grumbled, climbed onto the island, put away the driftwood, and after checking around to ensure no one had been there, he relaxed and carved out a cave dwelling in the center.

Then, he took out formation flags and began setting up formations.

Since it was a place for retreat, Han Te couldn't be careless, lest any passing cultivator notices something amiss.

Before long, a shielding formation was completed.

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Next, Han Te set up a defensive formation and an illusion formation, layering multiple formations together as a precaution.

Han Te let out a long breath.

"I wasted so many spirit stones again. Such a loss, such a loss. When I get back, I'll definitely have the Bai Family reimburse me," Han Te thought, heart aching.

He took out two mechanism boxes and two mechanism jades, which were the Bai Family's reward to him.

"I've been so unlucky; I hope I can get something good to balance my luck," Han Te thought to himself.

...

Next to Han Te's cave dwelling.

Xu Hei crawled out from his cave dwelling, looked around, and frowned slightly. He seemed to have sensed something earlier, but a sweep with his divine sense revealed nothing.

He didn't think much of it, taking out an octopus tentacle, rubbing it with sea salt, intending to air-dry it into jerky.

"That's it!"

Xu Hei's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of a brilliant idea.

"The butcher can merge with humans; can it merge with demonic beasts?"

Xu Hei's eyes sparkled.

He immediately took out the butcher, intending to give it a try.

He stuffed a tentacle into the butcher's body, refining it with puppet techniques. The process was extremely long, and after two failures, Xu Hei finally got the hang of it.

Using a Transformation Pill as an aid, supplemented by a thousand-year spirit medicine, he finally completed the fusion.

The butcher extended a tentacle, waving it in the void.

The tentacle was small but could expand continuously, reaching a hundred feet long, like a demon dancing wildly!

"Success!" Xu Hei was delighted.

With this, the butcher's combat power would soar.

He took out three more tentacles, stuffed them into the butcher's body, and after a week, the butcher had completed an evolutionary upgrade.

However, the butcher's appearance became more abstract, its face full of tentacles, indescribable in words.

Xu Hei wondered if humans would appreciate such a design, but he certainly didn't.

With two tentacles left, he planned to marinate them for slow consumption, not intending to give them all to the butcher.