As the ancient teleportation formation's spiritual light flared and dimmed again, both Li Huzi and the tree-robed Daoist looked up at once.
Upon the stone platform stood a man in white robes, leading a white horse behind him.
"Well, now that's strange," Li Huzi muttered. "I've only ever heard of people risking their lives to enter the cultivation world—never someone who went in and then decided to leave."
"No kidding," the tree-robed Daoist squinted. "The brat's probably got some mixed spiritual root. Realized he's hopeless at cultivation and now wants to go back home."
"Qi Refining—first layer," Li Huzi sneered. "If the jade token's useless to him, we might as well save it from going to waste. Daoist brother, shall we?"
"Hold on," said the tree-robed Daoist cautiously. "Didn't you see the blade at his waist? If he's a True Strength martial cultivator, this might get troublesome. Let's test him first."
"Fine by me."
"Hey there, brother!"
Li Huzi swaggered forward, clasped his fists, and said warmly, "The immortal realm's right up ahead—how come you went in and came back out again?"
Chen Sanshi glanced at the familiar face and replied calmly, "I'm done cultivating. Boring."
"How so?" Li Huzi leaned closer. "Mind telling me more?"
He drew out a jade token to show. "No need to be nervous, brother. Look—same as yours. We're both seekers of immortality."
"Oh?"
Chen Sanshi's eyes lit up in mock interest. "So we're kindred spirits. In that case, let me tell you…"
The two walked side by side.
Suddenly—
A flash of emerald-green sword qi shot out from the trees, slicing straight toward Chen Sanshi.
"Brother, look out!" Li Huzi shouted in feigned alarm.
"Boom!"
Chen Sanshi's fingers formed a seal, and a strand of violet sword qi burst forth, colliding head-on with the green. The two auras clashed, canceling each other out in midair.
At the same instant, a massive boulder appeared above him, descending like a falling mountain.
"Clang!"
The He Miao Blade left its sheath with a ringing cry.
The blade's gang qi roared like a tiger's snarl, slashing the boulder cleanly in half before it shattered into countless fragments raining down around him.
"Gang qi… a Mortal Shedding martial cultivator," Li Huzi observed instantly.
In the cultivation world, martial cultivators relied on resources even more heavily than spell cultivators did—and their potential was far more limited. Thus, martial cultivators were rare.
The first realm, Mortal Shedding, was fragile—so fragile that even a mere Qi Refining cultivator could kill one with a single spell. Because of that, few people bothered to pursue martial cultivation at all.
Unless they got within striking distance, martial cultivators posed no threat to cultivators.
And the spell Chen Sanshi had just used? Only the strength of Qi Refining—first layer.
A lamb waiting for slaughter.
The tree-robed Daoist stopped hiding and stepped out from the forest. "Young man, since you don't intend to stay and cultivate, why not hand over your jade token? Do that, and I'll let you live."
"Yeah, kid," Li Huzi added, dropping the act. "Hand it over—quickly."
"Wait a minute…"
Chen Sanshi's expression turned from shock to fury. "You two are together?"
He patted the white horse's flank, signaling it to move away.
Li Huzi and the Daoist both glanced at the horse but, seeing no value in it, made no move to stop it.
"Enough talking!" Li Huzi barked. "Give up the jade token, and you get to keep breathing."
"Really?"
Chen Sanshi looked at both of them calmly. "And who exactly am I giving it to?"
"To me, of cou—!!"
Before the Daoist could finish, his hands flashed through seals so fast they left afterimages.
From behind him, the forest came alive. Vines of every color writhed like serpents, weaving together into a massive web that blotted out the sky. The net of living plants swept in from all directions, leaving not even a gap to escape.
A cold gleam flashed across Chen Sanshi's eyes.
White Tiger Killing Qi surged out, cleaving open a gash in the net. Before the vines could close again, he slipped through the opening. Though they looked like plants, their toughness rivaled iron.
Sword Qi Technique!
Violet sword light condensed in his palm, and in the blink of an eye it struck the Daoist.
"Crash!"
The vines drew back instantly, converging before the Daoist to form a thick grass shield—woven of countless tendrils, shining faintly with spiritual light.
The violet sword qi hit the shield, hissing and burning through a palm-sized hole, but failed to pierce it completely.
"Qi Refining—first layer, and you think you can break my life-bound spell?" the Daoist sneered.
But before he could finish speaking—three more streaks of sword qi followed.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Each blast tore a layer off the grass shield.
Finally, the last strike punched through entirely—impaling the Daoist's chest.
"Ahhh!"
The tree-robed Daoist collapsed, screaming, eyes wide in disbelief.
Impossible!
Sword Qi Technique—the lowest-grade of all spells.
Its power depended entirely on the caster's cultivation level.
At Qi Refining—first layer, even the best-trained practitioner couldn't produce anything beyond a weak gust of spiritual energy.
More importantly—each casting could only produce one blade of sword qi!
To use it again required fresh incantations and new seals. That took time and drained enormous amounts of spiritual power.
Yet this man…
This man had cast it once—and unleashed four consecutive blades!
That wasn't Sword Qi Technique.
That was something only high-level cultivators could do.
The only consolation…
It really was just the first layer of Qi Refining—the spell's power wasn't strong. Counting them all together, he had fired a total of five Sword Qi Techniques, nearly exhausting all of his spiritual power.
"Li Huzi!"
"What are you waiting for?!"
Though it seemed like they had exchanged several rounds, the entire fight had lasted no more than two breaths.
Li Huzi wasn't idle either.
He reached behind him and drew a crescent-shaped saber from his waist—not to engage in close combat like a martial artist would, but to hurl it forward. The curved blade spun through the air, bursting into a dazzling golden glow. Like a spinning crescent moon, it sliced toward Chen Sanshi.
Chen Sanshi raised his He Miao Longblade and brought it down hard.
The White Tiger Killing Qi burst forth—but against the golden flying blade, it shattered instantly, scattering like mist. The golden crescent clashed with the longblade.
"Chiii—laa—laaa!"
The sound of grinding metal was like claws raking through one's eardrums.
Moments later, the He Miao Blade cracked apart.
Chen Sanshi felt as if a dragon-elephant had slammed into him. His body was flung backward uncontrollably, feet leaving the ground. Before he could land, the golden flying blade chased after him like a reaper's scythe—its edge only a few inches from his throat.
Thick Earth Art!
He tossed away the broken hilt and swiftly formed seals with both hands.
In an instant, the small amount of qi in his dantian was drawn out at full speed. It surged through his meridians like a pumping engine, refined spiritual energy pouring into every limb and bone. Through a special circulation pattern, it transformed into spell power, pulling at the surrounding elements of heaven and earth.
A warm orange-yellow glow spread as the soil before him peeled from the ground, gathering into a solid wall of earth.
"Boom!"
The earthen wall exploded apart, sending dust and clods flying in every direction—but at the same time, the golden flying blade that had shattered the He Miao Blade moments ago was blasted backward, spinning back into its master's hand.
"The Thick Earth Art?"
Li Huzi clicked his tongue. "A mere Qi Refining first-layer brat from the mortal world actually knows two spells? Impressive—but that's the end of it!"
The Thick Earth Art was considered a decent defensive spell for Qi Refining cultivators.
Its flaw was obvious: it consumed a lot of energy, and once it blocked an attack, it would immediately crumble apart.
Wait—what?!
Li Huzi froze.
He watched in disbelief as the wall of earth—supposed to be a one-time defense—reformed in front of Chen Sanshi, whole and solid again.
And then—
The man raised that very wall and charged straight toward him.
Impossible!
"Qi Refining first layer, and after casting five Sword Qi Techniques, he can still cast the Thick Earth Art?!"
As the thought hit him, Chen Sanshi had already closed within twenty steps.
Panicking, Li Huzi forced his golden saber to rise again, flooding it with spell power. It shot forward as a streak of light, slicing toward the wall to break it apart before striking him down.
"Boom!"
Then, something truly strange happened.
When the blade hit, the wall cracked and began to crumble—but instead of dispersing, it instantly reformed, regenerating itself in an endless cycle.
It didn't break—it restored!
'What the hell is this?! This isn't the Thick Earth Art! This is no different from a high-level Earth Elemental Spell!'
Before Li Huzi could react again, Chen Sanshi had already reached him.
His fist, bursting with surging gang qi, roared through the air like a tiger charging down a mountain, distorting the air as it slammed into Li Huzi's chest.
Bones shattered. The man's sternum cracked, and his heart quaked under the blow. Blood surged up his throat.
Li Huzi tried to control his flying blade again, but the reformed earth wall blocked it once more.
Then another punch landed—square in his face.
His head snapped back, and his body flew through the air, slamming into the ground. Blood poured from his mouth. His arms trembled uncontrollably, and he could no longer form seals.
As expected—
Chen Sanshi, having exchanged blows, confirmed it firsthand.
So-called cultivators had fragile bodies!
Of course, that fragility was only in comparison to martial cultivators.
If it had been an ordinary mortal, his first punch would've crushed the man's entire body.
Even so, it proved one thing clearly—
A Profound Manifestation–Realm martial artist could pose a deadly threat to low-level cultivators.
The only weakness was the difficulty of closing in.
But once within range—there was no problem at all!
"Catch the spear!"
Just then, a streak of silver light shot in from afar—it was none other than the Tiger-Headed Golden Spear.
Chen Sanshi caught it firmly in his hand. The metal sang as it hummed with energy.
Without giving his opponent a moment to breathe, he lunged forward like a phantom. Before Li Huzi could recover, the spear came crashing down.
Its silver gleam flared, a cold light bursting like a white tiger opening its bloody jaws—smashing Li Huzi's skull to pulp.
It was like cracking open a watermelon—red and white scattered everywhere.
The golden glow on the crescent flying blade flickered and died.
"Crack—"
Chen Sanshi drew back, using his body as a bow and his spear as an arrow. With a sudden twist, he hurled it out with full force.
The long spear, wreathed in rolling White Tiger Killing Qi, tore through the air without resistance and pierced straight through the heart of the fleeing tree-robed Daoist—killing him instantly.
Two men—one strong, one weak.
Li Huzi was at Qi Refining third layer.
The tree Daoist who used wood spells was only at Qi Refining second layer.
So weak, so fragile.
No wonder Martial Saints could hold their own in the Daze Market.
Thinking back now—
That battle on Mount Ziwei… Emperor Longqing and the others were likely at late Spirit Origin stage or even higher. In the mortal world, those at such a level could dominate most of the cultivation world's resources.
"This was my first real fight with cultivators," Chen Sanshi murmured.
His Qi Refining was only first layer, and his Profound Manifestation Realm technique merely at mastery—but combined, they were enough to deal with Qi Refining third-layer opponents. Not bad at all.
"How are you?"
Ningxiang's graceful steps were as light as butterflies. She landed beside him, her eyes glowing with a soft rose-pink light. A delicate silver ring floated in front of her, and she asked, "Are you hurt?"
Zhaozhao arrived right after her, riding on Qianxun.
The two women had stayed near the teleportation array for the past two days, afraid that something might happen beyond their reach.
"I'm fine."
Chen Sanshi gave her a faint smile. He could tell—this woman truly had some background.
"These two…"
Ningxiang waved her sleeve, and the silver ring in front of her shifted back into a bracelet, clasping itself neatly around her pale wrist. "They must've killed more than one seeker of immortality lately," she said. "There's bound to be something valuable on them."
Chen Sanshi shook his head slightly.
So this was what "immortal cultivators" had become—no different from bandits.
Yet when he thought of the low-level cultivators in Daze Market, they didn't seem much better off. There was nothing "free and unrestrained" about their so-called immortal lives. They labored day and night just to survive, struggling for resources, chasing after scraps.
'Doesn't matter the world—weak eat the strong, and the weak prey on the weaker,' he thought bitterly.
He stopped mulling it over and crouched down to search the corpses.
"Jade tokens?"
Before long, Chen Sanshi found two jade tokens.
Aside from those, there was only the golden flying blade—clearly a lower-grade magical weapon, riddled with chips and dents, likely second-hand.
As for spirit stones, both bodies together carried only twenty-one.
The most valuable things were definitely the jade tokens. If he didn't use them to exchange for a cave dwelling, selling them could easily bring in enough spirit stones to buy a full alchemy setup and all the materials he needed—with some left over.
Without hesitation, Chen Sanshi changed his appearance using the Art of Disguise, then handed the two jade tokens to Ningxiang and said, "Let's head back."
Not long after—
At the Daze Market Deacon Hall.
"What did you just say?"
Xu Youliang stared, puzzled. "You don't want to exchange the jade tokens for a cave dwelling—you want to sell them instead?"
Chen Sanshi nodded. "Exactly."
"It's not impossible," Xu said, rubbing the jade tokens between his fingers, "but the price will be a bit lower."
He paused, then said, "One jade token, 1,400 spirit stones."
"So few?"
Chen Sanshi frowned. He remembered clearly—an upper-grade cave dwelling cost 100 spirit stones a year. A jade token could exchange for 20 years' use, which meant 2,000 spirit stones total. But here, it only fetched 1,400—more than a quarter off.
Then he understood.
The spiritual vein belonged to the market's master. The cave dwellings were just temporary lodgings built on top of that vein. If unoccupied, they were worthless—so exchanging a jade token for one was pure profit for the market owner.
But converting it directly to spirit stones—that was cash, real value. Naturally, it would come at a loss.
He figured there must be black markets in the cultivation world where the price would be higher, but with his current strength, he wouldn't dare wander into those places.
Selling to the Deacon Hall wasn't the best price—but it was safe.
"My advice," said Xu Youliang, "is to exchange it for a cave dwelling. Even if you have spirit stones, you'll still need a place to cultivate."
"No need," Chen Sanshi said firmly. "1,400 it is."
"Fine," Xu shrugged, making no further argument. The trade was completed on the spot—money for goods, deal closed.
Half a day later—
Another person came in to cash out a jade token.
"You want to exchange for spirit stones too?" Xu asked.
"Yes, fellow Daoist," Ningxiang replied softly, her voice like autumn water rippling through silk. "How many spirit stones is it worth?"
"1,400—no, for you, 1,500!" Xu Youliang's eyes glimmered as he stared at her delicate hands and bewitching eyes. "Between us, I'll tell you a secret. For others, I only give 1,400, but for you, I'll pay 1,500."
"Really? Then this little woman thanks you, Daoist."
Ningxiang smiled faintly, stepping back gracefully and bowing slightly.
Xu Youliang beamed, entranced. "Are you a visiting seeker from outside, or a market resident who happened to find a token? If you don't mind, perhaps you could leave your name and residence—I'd like to visit you someday."
"I came to seek my cousin," Ningxiang said with a polite smile. "Once I'm settled, I'll visit to express my thanks properly."
She declined gently, took the spirit stones, and left the Deacon Hall, her steps light as falling petals.
"Master," Zhaozhao whispered beside her, frowning in confusion, "that upper-grade cave dwelling—what's that Chen fellow thinking? Selling it like that, he's losing so much! Don't tell me he plans to leave the cultivation world and go back?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Ningxiang replied calmly.
"But what about us?" Zhaozhao's tone turned anxious. "We finally found the cultivation world!"
She glanced up just as a female cultivator soared past overhead on a flying sword, her eyes filled with envy.
"Fool," Ningxiang said evenly. "Even if I handed you a jade token and you exchanged it for a cave dwelling, what would you do then? How would you earn spirit stones to support your cultivation? Dig spiritual ore? Apprentice under a craftsman? Or perhaps…"—her lips curved faintly—"go sell yourself? I saw there are brothels here too."
Her tone turned cold. "The tricks we used to fool mortal men won't work here. If you end up in one of those places, you'll truly become a plaything."
"I won't sell myself!" Zhaozhao shook her head fiercely. "Then when can we start cultivating?"
"When fate allows," Ningxiang said softly. "Some things can't be forced. Come on, he's waiting for us."
"1,500?"
When Chen Sanshi heard, he immediately realized Xu Youliang had skimmed off the top.
He estimated the true price of a jade token might be a bit higher than 1,400, but not by much.
Still, there was nothing he could do.
The Deacon Hall ran the entire Daze Market. Reporting them was out of the question. He'd have to swallow the loss.
At least the total—2,900 spirit stones—was enough to get started.
Chen Sanshi began purchasing materials.
Alchemy Furnace – 200 spirit stones.
Golden Smoke Wood – 20 spirit stones.
Golden Smoke Wood didn't produce immortal fire itself, but it was extremely durable—it could burn under immortal flames for a long time.
When Chen Sanshi refined pills, he'd need to use a strange immortal flame. Ordinary firewood would burn out too quickly and constantly need replacing. Some alchemy sessions could last several days—he'd have to burn half a forest to keep the fire going otherwise. Anyone would notice that.
Yangjing Pill Formula – 50 spirit stones.
True Martial Pill Formula – 2,100 spirit stones.
Yangjing Pill Ingredients ×20 – 20 spirit stones.
True Martial Pill Ingredients ×5 – 500 spirit stones.
The Yangjing Pills were cheap, but the True Martial Pills were ridiculously expensive. The formula alone cost a fortune.
Fasting Pill Formula – 20 spirit stones.
Fasting Pill Ingredients ×50 – 5 spirit crystals.
To learn alchemy, one had to start with the simplest recipes.
So Chen Sanshi bought the cheapest set—the Fasting Pill formula and ingredients—to practice refining first.
Storage Bag – 20 spirit stones.
At last…
Chen Sanshi noticed something interesting.
A Storage Bag!
A small brocade bag, barely palm-sized, but capable of holding a vast number of items.
They had bought so many things in Daze Market that carrying them openly would attract attention. Judging by the likes of people such as Li Huzi, walking around flaunting valuables was basically asking to be robbed by cultivators.
Naturally, a Storage Bag was essential—and it would still be useful once he returned.
For instance, it could store weapons.
That meant he wouldn't need to worry about carrying his long spear everywhere.
And arrows too—he could stockpile plenty of spare shafts.
No reason to hesitate—he bought it immediately.
After purchasing everything he needed, he had spent a total of 2,930 spirit stones and 1 spirit crystal. The freshly earned fortune was completely gone, leaving him with only a few spirit stones and a single flying dagger.
He didn't dare to approach the black market until he understood its workings. And since that dagger wasn't worth much, he decided to keep it. For an ordinary martial artist, it was a deadly enough weapon.
The shopkeepers were overjoyed, especially those at Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
Because martial cultivators were so rare, even True Martial Pills hadn't sold for years. The 2,000-plus spirit stone-grade alchemy furnaces had sat unsold for nearly a hundred years.
'Now that's what I call investing in myself,' Chen Sanshi thought, almost amused.
Ordinary itinerant cultivators who wished to refine pills had to save up for years just to buy a second-hand alchemy furnace. They'd start by refining Fasting Pills, recovering their costs one spirit crystal at a time, and slowly work their way up—often taking decades before seeing results.
Chen Sanshi's heavy investment was all to hasten his breakthrough to the Martial Saint Realm.
After preparing everything, they used the ancient teleportation formation to depart.
Only one jade token remained.
Leaving relied entirely on Qianxun ferrying the jade token back and forth.
Before stepping into the teleportation circle, Chen Sanshi took one last glance at the cultivation world. A faint regret stirred in his heart.
Immortality—everyone longed for it.
But for now, he simply wasn't strong enough. Even a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator could be fatal to him. And with urgent matters waiting back in Liangzhou, he couldn't afford to linger here for years—or decades.
'Not my fate yet.'
Once he broke through to the Martial Saint Realm, gained the power to protect himself, and resolved the issues in Liangzhou, he would return. By then, he should also have mastered alchemy, making everything much easier.
Without further hesitation, Chen Sanshi placed the jade token into the formation's groove. As spiritual light flared and surged, he vanished from the platform—returning safely to the island at The Edge of the World.
"I made some inquiries," Ningxiang said carefully. "There's a ferry from Daze Market that stops here every few days. If we board one, we can reach Nanling Town and then retrace our path. Within two months, we'll be back in Liangzhou."
Avoiding the teleportation path, they circled back to the coastline. Luckily, no one tried to trouble them this time.
The island, however, was still crowded with seekers of immortality and mortal wanderers.
They couldn't enter the cultivation realm, but neither could they bear to return to the mundane world. Some had relied on luck and strange encounters to reach this place—but now, out of spirit stones, they couldn't even afford to leave. Many were doomed to die here, stranded between two worlds.
It looked peaceful, but Chen Sanshi knew the truth—
The road to immortality was drenched in blood. Countless had perished along the way, including many prodigies.
The next ferry was scheduled to depart at midnight tomorrow.
They found a quiet corner to rest, intending to wait patiently. But near the middle of the night, from the southwest sky, a group of more than ten cultivators streaked through the air and landed among the crowd. Within moments, chaos erupted across the island.
"I'll go see what's going on," Ningxiang said and left quickly.
When she returned, her tone beneath the veil had grown tense. "It's Gui Qi.
"The cultivators from Daze Market have discovered his traces here at The Edge of the World. Before capturing him, they plan to completely seal off the island. We can't leave.
"And the commotion…"—she paused—"they're saying that whoever finds Gui Qi will be granted free entry into the cultivation realm."
Her voice lowered. "Now everyone on the island's gone mad searching for him."
"Gui Qi again…"
Chen Sanshi's jaw tightened. "Back in Nanling Town, I rushed to leave just to avoid that old man. Then he shows up on the boat—and now, even when I'm trying to get away, he appears again. Don't tell me he's my damn nemesis?"
"Daoist Laizi, why are you speaking ill of me behind my back?"
The sudden rasp of an aged voice froze him mid-breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse—
A black-robed old man had silently appeared beside him.
"Buzz!"
The silver bracelet on Ningxiang's wrist flared to life, but before she could strike, the old man said coldly, "Girl, if you want to live, I'd advise you not to make a sound."
Ningxiang immediately stilled.
"Senior Gui Qi…"
Chen Sanshi's eye twitched twice. He forced a strained smile and asked, "You've come to find this junior—do you require something of me?"
"You guessed right," Gui Qi said flatly, sitting down beside him. "You're going to help this old man with something."
"Senior…" Chen Sanshi tried to decline politely. "I'm still at a low cultivation level. I'm afraid I might not be of use."
Gui Qi's tone turned cold. "If you won't help, then don't bother staying alive."
"I'll help!" Chen Sanshi answered immediately. "Senior, please—just tell me what to do."
He didn't have the right to refuse. For now, the only choice was to comply—and look for a way out later.
"That's better," Gui Qi said, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You won't need to fight or take risks. Once it's done, I'll personally take you away from here."
Leave?
He wasn't going back to the cultivation realm—he was leaving entirely?
Could it really be…
Chen Sanshi cautiously asked, "Senior, with your unmatched martial strength and limitless potential, why would you destroy a spiritual vein and abandon the cultivation world of your own accord?"
"Little friend, aren't you asking a bit too many questions?"
Gui Qi's tone carried a clear warning.
At this moment, Chen Sanshi couldn't help but notice—the man resembled his master, Sun Xiangzong, by about forty percent.
But only resembled.
There were countless cultivators in this world.
Surely, there couldn't be only one martial cultivator under heaven.
Just because someone's martial path was extraordinary didn't mean he was Sun Xiangzong.
Chen Sanshi wanted to probe further, but Gui Qi gave him no chance. He tossed over a bead and a talisman.
"Half an hour from now," Gui Qi said, "I'll draw everyone on this island about fifty li away. You'll take this bead and follow its pull to the strongest point of its resonance.
"When you find it, use the talisman to set up a barrier. Then inject a thread of mana into the bead. After that, don't do anything. Just sit there and wait for me to fetch you."
He then pointed at Zhaozhao. "And this girl—what's she to you?"
Before Gui Qi appeared, Zhaozhao had been happily munching on pastries made from the spirit rice they bought in the cultivation world.
After he appeared, she froze completely—cheeks puffed, eyes wide, the pastry still stuck in her mouth, unable to swallow.
"She?"
Chen Sanshi replied evenly, "She's my younger sister."
"Good."
Gui Qi grabbed Zhaozhao by the collar like a chick. "Then she'll come with me—for insurance. If you mess this up, she dies first. After that, I'll come for you."
With that said, he gave them no chance to speak further. The old demon vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Zhaozhao!"
Ningxiang realized what happened a moment too late.
"Let's go," Chen Sanshi said quietly. "We'll do as he said."
"But Zhaozhao—" Ningxiang's voice trembled with worry.
"She'll be fine," Chen Sanshi said firmly.
"No… something's off." Ningxiang frowned. "You sound like you suddenly trust that monster."
"Guess who he is," Chen Sanshi said softly.
When Gui Qi had pulled something from his robes, Chen Sanshi had caught sight of the pendant around his neck.
That pendant—was a ring.
A ring Chen Sanshi had seen long ago.
During the Selection Tournament, when his master killed Ning Changqun, he had drawn a long spear from that very same ring.
Back then, Chen Sanshi didn't know what it was.
But now, he understood.
It was a storage ring.
And thinking further… this Gui Qi hadn't used a proper weapon once.
The first spear he wielded had broken after a few swings—it was clearly makeshift. Later, he even seized a cultivator's hammer to fight.
Nine out of ten odds—no, nine out of nine—this Gui Qi was his master!
Unless, of course, his master had died and someone else had taken the ring.
As for why his master didn't recognize them—
First, all of them had altered their appearances.
Second, this place was far from Liangzhou, and Ningxiang's situation had been handled by Fourth Senior Brother alone. The master probably knew nothing of it.
"Are you serious?"
Ningxiang could hardly believe it. "Gui Qi is the Grand Marshal himself? Why would he come all the way to the Edge of the World—and even want to destroy a spiritual vein?"
"I don't know," Chen Sanshi said. "But we'll do as he asked."
Whether or not this was his master didn't matter now.
Even if it wasn't Sun Xiangzong, this man's strength was enough to kill them effortlessly.
No choice but to obey.
"This bead…"
Chen Sanshi examined it closely.
It was roughly the size of his palm, similar in appearance to a Profound Pearl, but the energy inside was completely different. Holding it, he could feel a vast, terrifying power compressed within—like someone had forced the ocean itself into this tiny sphere.
The power inside was barely restrained, ready to burst forth like a tsunami at the slightest touch.
This bead was also a vessel, but it didn't store qi. It contained some deeper, more mysterious energy.
As soon as he grasped it, Chen Sanshi could sense a faint pull toward something distant.
The bead acted like a compass, pointing the way.
He moved swiftly under the cover of night, with Ningxiang following closely behind.
Together they headed southeast, eventually reaching a valley about one hundred li from the ancient teleportation array.
"It's here," Chen Sanshi said, crouching near a pool of still water.
"Buzz… buzz!"
The bead began to vibrate violently, as if it had come alive and was struggling to break free from his hand.
Chen Sanshi gripped it with all his strength to keep it under control.
A spiritual vein.
Through the bead's resonance, he could sense it—beneath the ground here lay a spiritual vein.
But it seemed dormant, slumbering deep underground. Without special tools like this bead, no one would ever notice it existed.
"Master wants us to find the vein?" Chen Sanshi muttered, realization dawning. "He wants us to use this bead… to destroy it?"
A wave of conflicting emotion tore through him.
Inside the teleportation realm, countless cultivators fought tooth and nail for a single cave dwelling built atop a spiritual vein.
Yet here, someone was about to obliterate one entirely—an existence that could be exchanged for endless resources!
It was the complete opposite.
But… why?
Master wants to destroy the spiritual vein?
And not keep it for resources?
With his talent, he could definitely rise even higher on the immortal path. Everyone said his lifespan was running out—so wouldn't he use a spiritual vein to trade for a life-extending method in the cultivation world?
He's been missing for two years, only to reappear just to find a spiritual vein and destroy it?
What's his motive?
By now, exactly half an hour had passed since their separation from Gui Qi. From the western side of the island came a thunderous explosion—clearly a deliberate disturbance, his signal to begin.
As before, even if Gui Qi wasn't his master, Chen Sanshi had no choice but to obey.
He picked up the talisman and infused it with spiritual power. Threads of golden light flowed from it, spreading outward from where he stood until they formed a glowing barrier that enveloped him completely.
Even though he had no experience with talisman arts, he could tell this was a defensive formation—one of extremely high level. It was definitely not a first- or second-tier talisman. How high it actually was, he couldn't guess.
Pulling Ningxiang into the barrier, Chen Sanshi then poured his qi into the restless bead.
The bead instantly broke free from his control, shooting into the sky as a streak of light. It grew brighter and brighter—first like a star, then a full moon, and finally like a blazing sun. The entire island of Tianya Haijiao shone as bright as day.
Moments later, countless runes erupted from the bead like a fountain, spreading in all directions until they merged into the shape of a great formation that wrapped around the island.
"What the…"
"What's happening?!"
"Look—up there!"
The seekers of immortality from all over the mortal realm stared up at the heavens, their mouths agape in shock.
"Boom!"
Gui Qi smashed a nearby cultivator into pulp with a single swing of his hammer.
Around him stood more than ten other cultivators, all staring at the sky, their faces pale with dread.
"A grand array?!"
"What kind of formation is this?!"
"Gui Qi! Was this your doing?!"
"What are you planning?!"
Not far away, Zhaozhao—who had been tossed aside—sat in a daze, still too terrified to move.
"Gui Qi!" one cultivator roared. "No matter what tricks you use, you can't swallow a whole spiritual vein alone!"
Gui Qi sneered. "Did I ever say I wanted to claim this spiritual vein?"
He let out a low laugh. "Look at you all—fighting day after day. Aren't you tired? I'll do you a favor and destroy it. Then no one has to fight anymore. Everyone can finally relax."
"What?"
"Destroy the vein?!"
The cultivators glanced at each other, stunned.
"You've gone mad!"
"What good would that do you?!"
"The spiritual vein is a creation of heaven and earth!"
"Only a true powerhouse could even think of destroying it! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Gui Qi's lips curved into a cold smile. "You'll see soon enough what this old man can and can't do."
"This formation…"
"How high-tier is it?!"
As the array solidified and its immense power filled the air, panic spread among the cultivators. None could discern what formation it was or what level it belonged to—it felt bottomless, immeasurable.
"Could he really destroy a spiritual vein?!"
"Quick!" shouted the leading cultivator. "Find the array's core and—"
But even as he spoke, his own voice faltered.
If this truly was a formation capable of annihilating a vein, what could mere Qi Refining cultivators do to stop it?
"Buzz—"
Before everyone's eyes, a small deer of pure light emerged from the glowing bead and drifted gently toward the valley.
"The vein spirit!"
When a spiritual vein awakens, a vein spirit is born first. Only after the spirit matures and merges with the earth does a true spiritual vein fully form. To locate a hidden vein before that, the surest way is to capture its spirit.
Chen Sanshi watched as the radiant deer descended before him—then passed right through the ground like mist, vanishing beneath the surface.
Moments later, spiritual energy began rippling out from deep underground, spreading across Tianya Haijiao like waves on water. The aura grew thicker and thicker, until the whole island buzzed with power.
"The vein is awakening!"
Every cultivator on the island felt the sudden surge of qi. Heaven and earth were rich with energy once more.
"Second-tier!" someone cried.
"It's only just revived, and already it's at second-tier density!"
The cultivators inhaled greedily, exhilarated. It was like fish thrown back into a vast ocean.
But then—
"BOOM—"
Before they could even savor the sensation, the luminous bead above, the core of the great formation, erupted with blinding golden light.
It shot downward like a column of solar fire, piercing through the mountains and into the depths below—straight into the heart of the spiritual vein.
In an instant, the newly awakened vein began to collapse. The ambient qi dissipated, scattering irreversibly into the void.
The spiritual vein—was being destroyed.
"Rumble—"
The earth quaked violently. Mountains shattered and toppled. The island trembled as if it would sink into the endless sea at any moment.
Before Chen Sanshi, the ground split open, revealing a vast chasm stretching farther than the eye could see.
No one could stop it. No one could even interfere.
The destruction continued for a full half hour.
At last, the luminous deer appeared once more. The remaining spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered into its body, condensing until its light grew unbearably bright. Then, slowly, it disintegrated—turning into countless motes of starlight that merged back into the bead hanging in the sky.
The golden light dimmed.
The great formation dispersed.
The bead fell back down in a streak of light, landing in Chen Sanshi's palm. He immediately sensed the vast power within.
The vein hadn't been entirely destroyed—part of its essence had been absorbed into the bead.
At this moment, that bead now held the energy of a first-tier spiritual vein.