e Sun?
Qi Ping cast only a single glance, yet a powerful, scorching sensation rushed toward him! The Law-Dao Rhyme contained within the manual was incredibly intense. With just this, Qi Ping could tell that this cultivation technique was extraordinary.
"Because time was short, I could only find this manual for you, Brother Qi. I currently only have two Foundation Establishment techniques on me. The other is a secret transmission of my sect, so this is the only one I can give you."
Meng Yan continued his explanation. "However, the quality of this technique is considered top-tier among Foundation Establishment manuals. I struggled with choosing which one to use for my own breakthrough. In terms of raw power, the Golden Flame Manual is actually superior. It is only because the other technique is more suited for artifact refining that I chose it."
Hearing Meng Yan's explanation, Qi Ping spoke with deep gratitude. "Brother Meng, this is already more than enough! If not for you, I would have struggled to obtain even the most common Foundation Establishment technique. This is perfect for me!"
Qi Ping was self-aware. Being able to obtain a manual of the Golden Flame Manual's caliber was a stroke of immense good luck.
As he took the manual, Qi Ping handed a storage bag to Meng Yan. Inside were the ten thousand spirit stones he had earned from selling honey over the past six months. Meng Yan might make excuses to refuse the money, but Qi Ping could not simply not pay. In fact, he intended to pay slightly more than the market value.
However, just as the spirit stones touched Meng Yan's hand, Qi Ping's expression suddenly shifted.
Through the bee swarm, he received a frantic warning: two auras at the Foundation Establishment stage were approaching his position at full speed! A moment later, Meng Yan's expression also changed drastically. Two Foundation Establishment auras were streaking toward them from the distance with terrifying velocity.
"Brother Qi, leave quickly! These two are from the Moxiao Sect and the Heaven-Fire Pavilion. I will stay behind to cut them off! Run! Do not hesitate—I might not be able to hold them for long!"
Meng Yan's voice was urgent. He thrust the storage bag back into Qi Ping's hands and drew his massive hammer, charging toward the incoming cultivators. He did not know how they had tracked him here, but he would never allow Qi Ping to be implicated or killed because of him.
Thinking of this, Meng Yan's aura surged. His muscles bulged instantly, and scorching, resilient fire spiritual energy, infused with the True Meaning of Fire, wrapped around his great hammer. Like a fierce beast, he lunged at the two approaching figures.
The two Foundation Establishment cultivators saw Meng Yan immediately enter a berserk state, and their expressions wavered. They had experienced Meng Yan's strength before. Although he was only a newly ascended early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, his desperation made him terrifying. They had no desire to die alongside this madman. Consequently, the two immediately shifted from offense to defense, planning to weather Meng Yan's assault together. Meng Yan's injuries had not yet healed; he wouldn't be able to maintain this intensity for long.
On the other side, Qi Ping remained calm despite the sudden outbreak of a Foundation Establishment battle. While he was normally cautious to the point of appearing cowardly, that was simply to avoid drawing the attention of Golden Core or Nascent Soul powerhouses. It did not mean he was afraid of a fight. If there was a reason he must fight, he would never be soft-hearted.
Qi Ping glanced at the Golden Flame Manual, the storage bag Meng Yan had returned, and the sun hanging high in the sky. Could these two Foundation Establishment cultivators, who hadn't even triggered a sense of crisis in his Natural Perception, truly do anything to him?
In the blink of an eye, Qi Ping summoned Ya Ya from his spirit beast bag.
"Ya Ya, go help Brother Meng kill those two!" Qi Ping commanded urgently.
"Gah! Gah! (Understood, Boss! Leave it to me!)"
Realizing the situation, Ya Ya did not delay for a second. Transforming into a black-and-gold afterimage, the crow charged into the battlefield where Meng Yan and the two cultivators were locked in combat. As for Meng Yan, the two-legged beast who had once helped it, Ya Ya would certainly not allow any harm to come to him.
In the battlefield, although Meng Yan's offensive was as fierce as a tiger after forcing his spiritual energy, he was, after all, heavily wounded. Facing two cultivators at once, his situation was becoming precarious. Meng Yan knew that if this continued, he was doomed. He needed to confirm that Qi Ping had escaped so he could use his own life-saving methods to flee.
However, just as he tried to check on Qi Ping, he sensed a new Foundation Establishment aura rushing toward them! Meng Yan's heart tightened. Two opponents were already his limit—how could he fight a third?
Just as despair began to take root, he realized something was wrong. This aura... why was it so familiar? The image of a large crow that loved sunbathing immediately appeared in his mind.
'It couldn't be...'
But how was it possible? He truly could not link this Foundation Establishment aura to the large crow whose strength had once fallen to the mid-level of Rank 1.
He had been shocked enough when the crow, with Qi Ping's help, had recovered to the peak of Rank 1 and evolved into a Sun-Fire Crow. Back then, when Ya Ya had puffed out its chest and told him it would pay back his kindness whenever he needed help, Meng Yan had felt a bit of pride. He believed he would never truly need the help of a crow.
It wasn't that he thought Ya Ya was weak; on the contrary, he respected and admired the bird, which was why he had gone through the trouble of finding it a master who could restore and nurture it. He simply had enough confidence in his own strength and his arrangements in Qingshi County to handle any hardship. And throughout the Qi Refinement stage, that had been true.
But once the Foundation Establishment battlefield opened and he was forced to break through, he had slowly begun to lose ground. Eventually, he had to rely on his master's influence to arrange an exit from Qingshi County. Even now, he didn't know how his trail had been discovered.
The recent string of events had taught him that there was always someone better. The war between sects was far more unpredictable than he had estimated. As a pawn, no matter how clever he was, he remained just a pawn. And now he had fallen to this state—he wasn't even sure if he could escape.
What Meng Yan expected least was that, in such a dangerous situation, the one charging into the fray to save him would be that sun-loving crow from the attic!
Sure enough, a gold-and-black figure soon appeared. Wrapped in golden-red flames and surrounded by dense solar power, it slammed into his two opponents with unstoppable force!
The moment Ya Ya appeared, Meng Yan recognized it. Though its size and appearance had changed significantly, he was certain this was the crow that had once basked on his balcony.
Especially when Ya Ya, after blasting the two back with a single move, turned its head and shouted:
"Gah! Gah! (Little brother Meng Yan, your Lord Crow is here to help!)"
"Gah! Gah! (Leave the rest to me! Beneath the sun, these two-legged beasts won't be making any waves!)"
Chapter 157: The Might of the Hundred-Eye Demon Domain! Slaying Foundation Establishment!
"Caw caw! (Grandpa Crow is here to help!)"
Hearing the fellow's cry, Meng Yan finally confirmed it—this was the very same giant crow that used to bask in the sun on the attic every single day!
He also understood the meaning behind its cry; it was identical to the call the crow had made last time, signaling that he could call upon it if he ever found himself in trouble.
"Fine then, let us stand side-by-side in battle once more!" Meng Yan laughed.
The moment he laid eyes on the crow, Meng Yan knew that the scales of victory had already tipped in his favor.
A Tier 2 Solar Fire Crow that had awakened the Great Sun Physique! And it was currently high noon!
Being a man of considerable experience, Meng Yan knew exactly how terrifying the crow's combat prowess would be in such a state.
With the crow joining the fray, not only would his own life-threatening crisis be averted, but he could even use this opportunity to slay two Foundation Establishment disciples from the rival sects.
Without delay, Meng Yan hoisted his massive hammer and plunged into the battle alongside the crow and the two enemy Foundation Establishment cultivators.
But while Meng Yan was invigorated, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators who had come to hunt him were cursing up a storm in their hearts.
They had finally managed to lock onto Meng Yan's trail, catching him while he was severely wounded.
If they could successfully kill this brat who had repeatedly thwarted their sect's plans, the merits they would receive would be staggering.
For them, this was supposed to be a bountiful harvest.
But now, the duck in their hands was about to fly away before their very eyes.
In fact, it wasn't just a flying duck; the duck had transformed into a man-eating predator!
As Foundation Establishment disciples of great sects, they naturally recognized the crow's identity: a Tier 2 Solar Fire Crow that had awakened the Great Sun Physique!
What was most infuriating, however, was that it was currently noon!
Had it been night, they wouldn't have been so afraid, but under the current timing, the Solar Fire Crow's combat strength had skyrocketed to the point where its frontal assault had shattered their combined strike!
The crow was currently in a state of total attribute enhancement—strength, speed, spiritual power, recovery, and even its innate spirit fire were all boosted. For opponents of the same rank, attempting to contend with a Great Sun Physique Solar Fire Crow at this hour was an exercise in extreme futility.
"Dammit!"
"Where did such a spirit beast come from out of nowhere!"
"There was absolutely no information about this before!"
"We must find a way to deal with this Solar Fire Crow! Otherwise, we are all dead!"
After clashing with the crow for a few rounds, not only had they failed to inflict any damage, but they had also sustained significant injuries themselves.
This instantly made them realize that if this continued, their deaths were inevitable!
Even the probability of escape was incredibly slim, as the chances of outrunning a Solar Fire Crow under these conditions were nearly non-existent.
"That's right! The master of this Solar Fire Crow is that Qi Refining Level 9 brat. As long as we kill the master or put him in grave danger, I can find an opening to flee and then seek reinforcements..."
Upon spotting Qi Ping's figure, one of them immediately hatched this plan.
Finding his timing, he forcibly endured one of Meng Yan's attacks before slapping his storage bag, summoning three High-Mountain Demonic Wolves!
These wolves were pets he had personally reared, though due to limited resources, they had only reached the late and peak stages of Tier 1, still far from breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
This was a common problem faced by many Beast Taming cultivators—if they invested in their pets, they wouldn't have enough resources for their own breakthrough, and if they prioritized themselves, the pets would fall behind.
However, today, his demonic wolves would finally serve their purpose!
These three wolves possessed extraordinary strength and extreme speed; working together, they should be more than enough to kill a Qi Refining Level 9 Beast Tamer.
After releasing the wolves, he hurried to tell his partner that they must pin down the crow, as this was their only chance to escape.
But in the face of those demonic wolves, the crow didn't even spare them a glance.
Crow: 'You think these mangy mutts can handle my Boss?'
Never mind the terrifying swarm surrounding Qi Ping; even if Qi Ping were alone, these three mutts wouldn't be his match. The crow knew Qi Ping's strength better than anyone, given their frequent sparring sessions.
The crow's lack of reaction gave the cultivator who had summoned the wolves a sinking feeling of dread.
Sure enough, it took only a brief moment before a pathetic howl echoed out, followed by a violent explosion as one of the demonic wolves was blasted into a mangled mess by Qi Ping.
"The Hundred-Eye Demon Domain effect isn't half bad!"
Qi Ping had only been testing the waters, activating a low-power strike of the Hundred-Eye Demon Domain. The result was a demonic wolf being hard-locked in place, paralyzed before being blasted into critical condition by a single Flame Burst Fireball.
Without the aid of Qi Ping's powerful soul and the Hundred-Eye Demon Domain skill, dealing with these wolves would have required a fair amount of effort.
But with his potent soul and the support of this skill, dealing with these wolves—who possessed zero soul defenses—was child's play.
They didn't possess innate spirit fire like the crow, which could ward off mental attacks.
After crippling the first wolf, Qi Ping quickly followed the same pattern, efficiently dispatching the remaining two.
(The battle unfolded with ruthless precision, leaving no room for error.)
Qi Ping's immense soul strength and the benefits of his frequent, high-intensity soul cultivation were fully manifest here. Same-rank opponents without soul defense capabilities were essentially defenseless against him, and since Qi Ping's strongest suit was defense, they couldn't even hope to scratch him.
In a mere matter of moments, all three High-Mountain Demonic Wolves lay dead!
After dealing with the wolves, Qi Ping turned his gaze toward the battlefield where the crow and Meng Yan were fighting, noting that the battle there was also nearing its end.
The two Foundation Establishment disciples from the great sects were indeed extraordinary; although neither had fully comprehended a Law Intent, they were close.
The power behind their every move showcased the elegance of great sect spells, making them top-tier existences among ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Unfortunately, they had encountered even more formidable opponents.
Whether it was Meng Yan, who had comprehended the Intent of Fire and a Dao-Heart Realm, or the crow, who possessed the Great Sun Physique and the blessing of the noonday sun, both were at the absolute peak of their rank.
Under normal circumstances, the two enemies would struggle to deal with even one of them; facing both at once, the outcome was predetermined.
Thus, the battle did not drag on. Besieged by the crow and Meng Yan, the two cultivators were already in a precarious state.
Roughly ten breaths later, following a terrifying detonation, half of one cultivator's body was blown apart by the crow, his heart shattered instantly.
The remaining survivor was forced to face the combined onslaught of the crow and Meng Yan. Within two or three breaths, his head was swung into smithereens by Meng Yan's hammer, leaving him as dead as could be!
With that, the two core Foundation Establishment disciples of the Demon Firmament Sect and Celestial Fire Pavilion were slain!
They had come to hunt Meng Yan, only to pay with their own lives.
In war, life and death are ever-fickle!
Having slain the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, Meng Yan needed no explanation. He quickly swept the battlefield and, in silent coordination with Qi Ping, vanished from the area immediately.
Shortly after the two Foundation Establishment cultivators fell, their respective sects discovered their shattered life tablets.
"How is this possible? What kind of dragon's den is this Bluestone County? Why does every disciple we send there end up dead?"
Chapter 158: Spoils of War and Risks
The Demon Firmament Sect, Celestial Fire Pavilion, and Seven-Star Sword Sect—none of them could fathom what the Azure Yuan Sect had arranged in Bluestone County to cause their disciples to perish one after another.
Abnormal occurrences usually indicated a hidden 'demon'! This raised their suspicions, causing them to focus more attention on Bluestone County and elevating its strategic importance.
"Increase our scrutiny of Bluestone County. Expand the depth of our searches; let no abnormal sign go overlooked!"
It wasn't just the enemy sects either; even the Azure Yuan Sect was surprised that Meng Yan had managed to slay so many enemy geniuses.
They wouldn't let this suspicion fade easily, and they intended to investigate Meng Yan's affairs thoroughly.
Meanwhile, after Qi Ping and Meng Yan had killed the two Foundation Establishment pursuers, they concealed their auras and fled.
This time, they moved far more cautiously than before, fearing that others might track them via residual spiritual energy and traces.
Because the Azure Yuan Sect's enemies in Bluestone County weren't limited to just those two; otherwise, the Azure Yuan Sect wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat, losing several Foundation Establishment disciples in the process.
"My thanks to Brother Qi. If not for you, I would have been in dire straits had those two pinned me down!"
Thinking back, Meng Yan couldn't help but sigh. The development of the war had already veered far beyond his control.
At the same time, he was profoundly shocked by the growth in strength of the crow and Qi Ping.
Whether it was the crow breaking through to Tier 2 and awakening the Great Sun Physique, or Qi Ping effortlessly dispatching several formidable demonic wolves, both feats astounded him.
He truly hadn't expected that after his own breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, Qi Ping's strength wouldn't fall behind, but would instead catch up.
Moreover, his intuition told him that Qi Ping was still holding back hidden cards, making him feel somewhat unfathomable.
"Between the two of us, there's no need for such words. The most urgent matter is figuring out how they tracked you and healing your injuries as quickly as possible."
Qi Ping noticed that after the recent battle, Meng Yan's wounds had worsened again.
"Right! Let's process these spoils first, then move to a new location."
The two of them swiftly sorted through the loot, taking the valuable and safe items before leaving again.
Over the next few days, Qi Ping and the crow stayed to protect Meng Yan for about a week. It was only after Meng Yan's wounds had mostly healed that Qi Ping prepared to leave with the crow.
Regarding the spoils from the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qi Ping insisted on splitting them equally as usual.
The split resulted in roughly thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones' worth of items and currency for each, a considerable haul.
These Foundation Establishment disciples from great sects were indeed wealthy.
However, regarding the ten thousand spirit stones Qi Ping had paid for the cultivation technique, Meng Yan refused to accept them no matter what.
After a moment of thought, Qi Ping didn't force the issue and let it be.
"Brother Qi, after this parting, I know not if I will survive this war. If there is a day we meet again, I shall treat you to drinks!"
"Take care!"
On his way back, Qi Ping didn't carry the resources he had obtained. Following his usual habit, he had his bees take the items and bury them in various underground holes.
Because the amount was quite large this time, Qi Ping specifically divided the loot into several portions; that way, even if one cache was discovered, the others would remain.
After bidding farewell to Meng Yan, Qi Ping paid a visit to Nan Jie.
This time, Qi Ping didn't hide anything. He spoke plainly about the danger level of Bluestone County and mentioned that he would find a place deep within the Cloud-Mist Mountains to set up a phantasm and concealment array.
There, she could hide safely in the mountain depths and focus on her cultivation for a while.
As for Nan Jie's Spirit-Nurturing Fruit trees and her spirit fertilizer production method, Qi Ping purchased them directly with spirit stones.
After hearing Qi Ping's explanation, Nan Jie didn't hesitate, obediently following his arrangements.
She had zero doubts about anything Qi Ping said.
Once Nan Jie finished her lease termination, Qi Ping led her to a hidden cave deep in the Cloud-Mist Mountains.
The bees had discovered this cave earlier while searching for Qi Ping's exclusive territory.
The location was secluded, nestled by mountains and water—a perfect hiding spot.
Once Nan Jie confirmed everything was fine, Qi Ping immediately began setting up the arrays for her.
Nan Jie watched Qi Ping's fluid, masterful movements in setting the array, her entire being stunned.
Qi Ping's rapid advancement in cultivation was within her expectations, but she never imagined he had also taken up array cultivation—one of the four extremely difficult auxiliary arts of cultivation!
It was even more difficult than talisman crafting; only those with exceptional talent could study it.
Stepping onto the path of arrays didn't just mean Qi Ping's survival capabilities had increased; it also meant he could earn significant amounts of spirit stones through it.
(His mastery was undeniable, a testament to his hidden depths.)
"Nan Jie, you should stay here and cultivate for now. The outside world is becoming increasingly dangerous; don't go out until things settle down," Qi Ping urged after completing the array.
Nan Jie nodded gently in response:
"I understand. I will stay here and focus on my cultivation..."
She didn't ask how Qi Ping had learned arrays, nor did she ask where he was going.
If Qi Ping didn't want to disclose these things, she wouldn't pry.
After finishing the task and leaving behind a supply of resources and honey, Qi Ping took his leave.
He had confidence in Nan Jie's survival skills; as long as she stayed away from the center of the storm, her current peak Qi Refining Level 6 strength would be enough to survive here.
Being here was far safer than staying at her original spirit fields.
"With this, all my lingering worries are settled. I have the Foundation Establishment technique, and Nan Jie, the only potential safety risk, has been hidden away."
This time, Qi Ping intended to stay peacefully in his own territory until he broke through to Foundation Establishment.
Recently, the enemy sects of the Azure Yuan Sect had lost so many genius disciples here that their losses were heavy; one could expect the danger level to only climb higher from here.
Hiding deep in the Cloud-Mist Mountains would guarantee much more safety, allowing him to use the time needed for his breakthrough to avoid the most dangerous phase.
Meng Yan leaving Bluestone County now was also a good thing; under his master's deployment, he would be safer than if he stayed here.
The only thing giving Qi Ping a headache was that with Meng Yan gone, the difficulty and trouble of purchasing techniques and resources in the future would skyrocket.
"Forget it, let's not worry about that for now. My strength is still too weak anyway, and I have all the resources needed for the Foundation Establishment breakthrough."
"I'll focus on developing with my current resources first and worry about the rest after the breakthrough!"
However, only a few days after Qi Ping returned to his territory, he received a piece of news that made his brow furrow tightly:
One of the locations where he had buried his loot had been approached by a group of cultivators with terrifying auras!