Li Feiyu's trip only took a little over a month.
When Jin Yuan and the others saw Li Feiyu bring back a child, they were all surprised.
"Fellow Daoist Li, where did this boy come from?"
Yun Xingzhou, seeing so many strangers, immediately hid behind Li Feiyu, clutching his robes, revealing half his head, his bright eyes showing both fear and curiosity.
"He's quite cute, don't tell me he's yours!"
"What are you thinking!" Li Feiyu rolled his eyes. "This child looked pleasing to the eye and had Spiritual Root Aptitude, so I brought him back."
Jin Yuan's eyes flashed with golden light as he scrutinized him. "His talent is ordinary. According to you humans, he should be what you call a three-Spiritual Root."
"Anyone who catches your eye must at least have an unusual Spiritual Root!"
Li Feiyu couldn't be bothered to argue with Jin Yuan and handed Yun Xingzhou over to Zhou Yuan, instructing him to take Yun Xingzhou as his Disciple.
"Zhou Yuan, Yun Xingzhou is in your hands. Teach him some Cultivation knowledge, then polish his Foundation. As for Cultivation, that can wait a few years."
"Understood, Senior Li."
Afterward, Li Feiyu opened a temporary Immortal Cave and began to Cultivate the Inferno Apex Meridian Art in seclusion.
Although there was no Nascent Soul Middle Stage Bottleneck, Li Feiyu estimated that breaking through to the eighth level would still take a considerable amount of time.
Three or four years would still be needed.
At the mine, the Cultivators on duty were rotated every few months.
Of course, once people arrived, they were all detained without exception. However, because no one returned to report the situation, the Ghost Spirit Sect immediately realized something was wrong.
Therefore, Shattered Soul True Person, a Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Ghost Spirit Sect at the former Masked Moon Sect site, dispatched his sixth-ranked Disciple to investigate the cause.
He was a Core Formation Early Stage Cultivator.
When he arrived with a group of Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples, there was no one guarding the mine. It was unusually quiet, appearing somewhat eerie.
However, after his Divine Sense spread out, he discovered a large number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, as well as several Core Formation Cultivators whose power was not much different from his own.
His face turned pale with shock, and he wondered, "Who are they? Why are they occupying this mine? Are they trying to provoke my Ghost Spirit Sect?"
"That's right, the Ancient Teleportation Array!"
There's an Ancient Teleportation Array in the underground cavern of the mine. They must have come for it.
But why would a useless Ancient Teleportation Array be worth so much effort to them?
Moreover, this lineup is too terrifying. There are over a dozen Cultivators whose power is similar to his, and many more whose power he couldn't even detect.
The scale of it was like a major Sect sending out all its forces to attack this mine.
"No wonder the previous people went and never came back!"
The gray-robed Cultivator's gaze was incredibly solemn. He didn't want to alert the enemy and planned to quietly retreat to report to his Master.
Just then, a rainbow light flew out from a certain part of the mine, moving extremely fast, blocking the path of the gray-robed Cultivator and his group in the blink of an eye.
"Another batch. You Ghost Spirit Sect are truly persistent!"
"Unfortunately, it's still not quite enough!"
It was Zhou Yuan who emerged.
The gray-robed Cultivator's gaze was incredibly solemn, and his face was somewhat nervous. "Attack together, don't hold back!"
Dozens of attacks from Foundation Establishment Cultivators and a gray light emitted by the gray-robed Cultivator flew towards Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan's lips curved slightly in disdain. He raised his right hand above his head, fingers spread.
Suddenly, a giant hand, condensed from energy, appeared in the air.
The Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators' attacks landed on the giant palm. The Foundation Establishment Stage ones didn't even cause a ripple, and while the gray-robed Cultivator's attack made the energy giant palm tremble, that was all it did.
The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
The gray-robed Cultivator's eyes were about to burst, and he roared, "Run!"
Zhou Yuan sneered, "Want to run? Dream on!"
"Innate One Qi Grand Capture!"
The giant hand blotted out the sky and the sun. Though massive, its movements were incredibly agile, and it instantly descended upon their heads.
Zhou Yuan lightly clenched his hand, and all the Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators were gripped in his grasp, unable to move.
The gray-robed Cultivator endured the immense force, gritting his teeth, and spoke with difficulty, "Who exactly are you? Do you intend to go to war with my Ghost Spirit Sect? Are you not afraid of offending my Heavenly South Demonic Path!"
Zhou Yuan smiled coldly.
He suddenly exerted force, and the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators all fainted. The Core Formation Cultivators, however, held on for a while longer.
With Zhou Yuan's strength, he could have annihilated them all at once, but this was Li Feiyu's instruction.
These people could be used to negotiate with the Ghost Spirit Sect. Three thousand for each Foundation Establishment Cultivator, thirty thousand for each Core Formation Cultivator. If they refused to pay, they would all be killed to intimidate them.
Zhou Yuan placed a Divine Seal Curse on them, sealing their Divine Sense and magical power, then confined them with the previous captives.
At the former site of the Masked Moon Sect, Shattered Soul True Person knew something was wrong when his sixth Disciple had not returned to report the situation after five or six days.
He called all his remaining five Disciples over.
"Your sixth Junior Brother has not reported back for a long time. Something big must have happened at the mine. You will accompany Master to investigate!"
Shattered Soul True Person had a gaunt, withered face. He had entered the Nascent Soul Realm a long time ago and had now reached the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. His Divine Abilities were extraordinary, and he was quite famous throughout the Heavenly South Demonic Path.
A day later, they arrived at the mine.
They arrived majestically, seemingly ready to crush everything, but Shattered Soul True Person's Divine Sense detected not only numerous Core Formation Cultivators but also several Nascent Souls in the cavern.
One of them had an Aura as vast as a sea of smoke, exceptionally fierce, making his heart pound with fear.
Without thinking, he conjured a Aura, and swiftly departed with his five Disciples.
Jin Yuan chuckled, "He ran fast enough!"
"It seems you two won't have to fight this time!"
"But next time, it should be very intense."
Tianwuzi and Elder Liu's hearts tightened, and then they continued to quietly meditate and Cultivate Qi.
After moving several hundred li away from the mine, Shattered Soul True Person finally stopped, his face still filled with shock.
"Who exactly is he? Is he an Intermediate or Late Stage Great Cultivator?"
"Such a vast Aura, and it seems to be mixed with Demon Beast Aura as well..."
"He must be a Late Stage Great Cultivator, or even a Level 10 Shapeshifting Demon Beast at the final stage!"
It had been many years since a shapeshifting Demon Beast had appeared in Heavenly South, let alone a Level 10 shapeshifting Demon Beast!
"This is a serious matter, I must inform the Sect Leader!"
One of his Disciples asked, puzzled, "Master, what's wrong?"
The others also looked confused.
"The people occupying that place are not simple. Do not provoke them!"
"Otherwise, don't blame me if you die!"
The Disciples were startled and then nodded silently.
Shattered Soul True Person gave a few more instructions, then personally set off for the Ghost Spirit Sect's main altar in Tianluo Country.
Tianluo Country was far from Yue Country. Even if he rushed back with all his might, it would take more than a month.
....
"Shattered Soul True Person!"
The guards at the main altar gate all bowed in greeting when they saw Shattered Soul True Person.
Shattered Soul True Person flew straight in without any hesitation.
"What's wrong with Shattered Soul True Person? He's in such a hurry. I remember he was stationed in Yue Country, so why is he suddenly back?"
"Why ask so many questions? Do you dare to meddle in the affairs of a Nascent Soul Cultivator? Are you tired of living?!"
The person immediately fell silent, still feeling lingering fear.
Shattered Soul True Person flew into the area where Nascent Soul Late Stage Elders usually Cultivate in seclusion. His Aura was completely unreserved, and the Nascent Souls present immediately sensed his presence.
They were all puzzled.
"Fellow Senior Brothers, something big has happened in Yue Country. Please come out and meet."
Before long, three Nascent Soul Cultivators of varying appearances flew to a square here.
"Senior Brother Shattered Soul, why have you suddenly returned from Yue Country? Has something major happened?"
The speaker was Wang Tiangu, the second Elder brother of the Ghost Spirit Sect Leader and Young Master Wang Chan's second uncle.
"Junior Brother Wang, is the Sect Leader here?"
Wang Tiangu said in surprise, "He went out for something and is estimated to return in a few years."
"What exactly happened? Tell us first."
Shattered Soul True Person said, "A group of mysterious Cultivators appeared in Yue Country and occupied the mine near the former Yan Family Fortress."
Wang Tiangu frowned. "Which force is so bold as to act so presumptuously in the heartland of my Demonic Path? However, Senior Brother Shattered Soul, since the mine was taken, then just take it back."
"Are there Nascent Soul Cultivators among those people?"
Shattered Soul True Person sighed, "If I hadn't acted decisively, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it back."
"There are more than just Nascent Soul Cultivators there, and more importantly, I sensed a very powerful Aura, suspected to be a Level 10 Demon Beast."
"What?!"
The others all exclaimed in unison, their faces full of surprise.
Shattered Soul True Person continued, "They captured some Disciples, and the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators are gathered in the underground cavern of the mine. I suspect they are after the Ancient Teleportation Array."
"But very few people know about this mine. Even the other Demon Path Six Sects were not informed. And it's not like we haven't tried that Ancient Teleportation Array before; all the Disciples who attempted to teleport had their life tokens shatter."
Wang Tiangu said, "According to Young Master Wang Chan, the two people who teleported over back then were cautious individuals, and they would definitely destroy the Ancient Teleportation Array on the other side to prevent us from going over."
"However, the suspected appearance of a Level 10 Demon Beast is indeed no small matter. Even if all of us went, we would likely be annihilated."
"To deal with a Level 10 Demon Beast, a Late Stage Great Cultivator must act, or three or four powerful Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators with extraordinary Divine Abilities must join forces."
"But whether they can kill it remains to be seen. Those who can reach the Level 10 Demon Beast Realm are not to be underestimated."
"Senior Brother Shattered Soul, you should stay at the main altar for now. When the Sect Leader returns, we can make a long-term plan."
"That's the only way."
...
Li Feiyu was still in seclusion, and Yun Xingzhou was learning Mortal martial arts under Zhou Yuan's guidance to hone his Foundation.
Yun Xingzhou also had perseverance. After crying a few times, his Heart-Nature matured a lot, and he gritted his teeth and trained diligently every day.
Everyone was quietly Cultivating, and the mine remained calm.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye.
At the Ghost Spirit Sect's main altar, the Ghost Spirit Sect Leader finally returned. Upon hearing about this matter, he was also incredibly surprised.
He pondered for a moment, "He didn't attack the other branch altars in Yue Country, which suggests he has a bigger scheme. If he truly wanted to deal with my Ghost Spirit Sect, given their strength, they could probably eradicate all Demonic Path forces in Yue Country in an instant."
Shattered Soul True Person said, "Sect Leader, what should we do now?"
"We can't take on a Level 10 Demon Beast...."
The Ghost Spirit Sect Leader was silent for a moment. "Go and inform the other Demon Path Six Sects. Tell them this news!"
...
Soon after, the various Demonic Sects in Tianluo Country received the news from the Ghost Spirit Sect.
Joyful Union Sect.
Fellow Daoist Hehuan had stayed in the Sect for many years. Upon receiving the news from the Ghost Spirit Sect, he was slightly surprised, then showed a very interested expression.
"A Level 10 Demon Beast, I wonder if its inner Core can help my Cultivation advance."
Many Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Demonic Path Sects flew to the Ghost Spirit Sect to discuss this matter.
The Demon Path Six Sects each operated independently and did not interfere with each other. The last time a large number of Nascent Souls gathered was during the invasion of various countries.
Now that things had stabilized, contact had become less frequent.
For the other six Sects, either the top leader or the second-in-command came, showing how seriously they regarded this matter.
Fellow Daoist Hehuan, the Grand Elder of the Joyful Union Sect, was also one of the only three Great Cultivators in Heavenly South, with profound Demonic Technique.
He said to the Ghost Spirit Sect Leader, "Is the matter mentioned in the message true or false?"
"If you lie to this old man, you know the consequences!"
The Ghost Spirit Sect Leader said with some fear, "How dare I lie to Fellow Daoist Yi about such a matter."
"But this old man is very curious, why did those people choose Yue Country, of all places, and set up camp in a abandoned mine?"
"And how do you guarantee that they haven't left yet?"
"A Level 10 Demon Beast is indeed rare, but I don't need to chase it all over the world!"
Sweat beaded on the Ghost Spirit Sect Leader's forehead, showing how much pressure Fellow Daoist Hehuan was putting on him!
"We are in regular contact. Although there may be delays due to the long distance, I received news a month ago that they have not left and intend to occupy that place long-term."
"As for why they chose that location...."
The Ghost Spirit Sect Leader hesitated for a moment, then said directly, "Actually, there is an Ancient Teleportation Array beneath that mine."
"Back then, my son was chasing a few people from the Six Sects, and they left through the Teleportation Array. In such a situation, it's clear that they must have destroyed the Teleportation Array on the other side, rendering that Ancient Teleportation Array useless."
"Have you sent people to test it?"
"Naturally, several Disciples died."
Fellow Daoist Hehuan thought for a moment. "Then why do they still occupy that place, and how did they know about it? You kept this matter so secret that even we didn't know."
The Ghost Spirit Sect Leader shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"Unless they came from the other side of the Teleportation Array, and the Teleportation Array on the other side has been repaired."
Fellow Daoist Hehuan pondered for a moment, then said, "It's impossible for us not to know about so many powerful Cultivators suddenly appearing in all of Heavenly South, unless they came from another region on the other side."
At this point, Fellow Daoist Hehuan became subtly excited.
A new region represents a large amount of resources and opportunities.
The situation in Heavenly South has basically stabilized now. The only variable is the invasion of the Mulan people, but with the Nine Nations Alliance resisting on the front lines, they don't need to worry for now.
If they could obtain a large amount of resources in another region, perhaps the Demonic Path could suppress the Righteous Path, or even annex it, eventually dominating all of Heavenly South!
The Nascent Soul Cultivators from the other Sects also had flickering eyes, each with their own plans.
Fellow Daoist Hehuan chuckled sinisterly, "Yue Country is the territory of my Demonic Path. To dare to occupy it directly, ignoring us, it seems they don't put us in their eyes. Everyone, are you interested in making a trip there!"
"Naturally, we must let them know the might of my Demonic Path!"
Dongmen Tu, the Grand Elder of the Spirit Control Sect, smiled slightly, his eyes filled with ruthlessness and greed.
Among the many Demonic Path Nascent Souls, Dongmen Tu's strength was also one of the best, second only to Fellow Daoist Hehuan. Besides his own strength, which was close to the Nascent Soul Late Stage, he had also fortunately cultivated a rare Spirit Beast whose power was comparable to an eighth-level shapeshifting demon Cultivator.
It was precisely because of the assistance of this Spirit Beast that he could rank among the top ten of all Nascent Soul Cultivators in Heavenly South.
"Since that's the case, then return to your respective Sects, count your numbers. Each Sect will send ten Core Formation Cultivators and one hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators. One month later, we will proceed to Yue Country."
The other Nascent Soul Cultivators all nodded slightly, showing that Fellow Daoist Hehuan still held considerable prestige among the Demonic Path Cultivators.